Court bans Kars4Kids ads in California for violating false advertising law
sfgate.com / May 14, 2026
An Orange County judge has banned all Kars4Kids ads, including the earworm of a jingle, from broadcasting in the state of California after finding that the charity violated false advertising and unfair competition state laws.
The famous, or infamous, ad — best known locally for frequently playing throughout the day during KNBR commercial breaks — has been the subject of much scrutiny due to the lack of transparency regarding the organization’s religious affiliation and the fact that the money does not really go to “kids.”
In a case that dates back to 2021, Bruce Puterbaugh originally sued the charity’s affiliated organization, Oorah Inc., when he discovered that the money from the car he donated ($250) was not going to underprivileged kids in California but rather to an Orthodox Jewish program in New York and New Jersey. Puterbaugh told the court that he donated the car because he had heard the famous Kars4Kids jingle “over and over,” according to the certified court order published May 8. The TV ad in particular, featuring a multiracial group of kids playing instruments along to the tune, is what made Puterbaugh think the money would go to underprivileged kids, and the fact that he donated the car in California is what led him to believe the money would stay in-state.
Kars4Kids Chief Operating Officer Esti Landau testified that the charity’s “primary function” was to fund Oorah, which is dedicated to Jewish heritage summer camps in New York and New Jersey, per the court order. She also said that while 25% of the charity’s revenue comes from California, there are no programs in the state that benefit from Kars4Kids beyond a backpack drive “characterized as a branding exercise.”
MORE: https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/kars4kids-california-false-advertising-22259298.php
According to the link, some monies go to 17- and 18-year-olds seeking gap-year trips to Israel and their families. Oorah gave $16.5 million to purchase a building in Israel in 2022. $437,000 was spent on “Middle East outreach.”
Nothing wrong with that. But you should be more transparent, especially in this instance.
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