How the car donation process works
Start with the 2-minute donation form or a call
Begin by completing the quick Drive to Give online donation form or by calling Heritage for the Blind directly. You will share basic details: your name, pickup address, vehicle year, make, model, condition, mileage if known, and whether you have the title. This is not a commitment trap or a complicated application. It simply gives the donation team enough information to confirm your vehicle and plan the pickup. Donors across Charlotte, Pineville, Mint Hill, Matthews, and the surrounding Charlotte Metro can start the request in just a few minutes.
A coordinator calls within 1–2 business hours
After your request is submitted, a donation coordinator follows up, usually within 1–2 business hours. The coordinator confirms your vehicle details, answers your questions, and helps choose a pickup time that works for you. If the vehicle is parked at your home, workplace, apartment community, repair shop, storage lot, or a family member’s driveway, let the coordinator know. They will also review what needs to be ready at pickup, including the title and access to the vehicle. There is no towing charge, processing fee, or out-of-pocket cost.
Your free tow is scheduled for your Charlotte Metro location
In most metro areas, a licensed tow truck can arrive the same day or next business day, depending on availability and your schedule. Pickup is available throughout the Charlotte Metro area, including neighborhoods such as Plaza Midwood, Dilworth, Steele Creek, Ballantyne, University City, and nearby suburbs like Huntersville, Cornelius, Matthews, and Concord. Before the truck arrives, remove personal items, gather the keys, and have the title ready. At pickup, you sign the title over according to North Carolina requirements, and the driver provides pickup documentation.
The vehicle is moved to auction or a parts reseller
Once your vehicle is picked up, it is transported to an auction facility or, when appropriate, a parts reseller. This step helps determine the vehicle’s final sale value based on condition, demand, mileage, and market interest. Cars, trucks, vans, and SUVs do not always need to be running to be considered, but accurate condition details help the team route the vehicle properly. You do not need to be involved in the sale process after pickup. Drive to Give and Heritage for the Blind handle the next steps.
Sale proceeds support Heritage for the Blind
After the vehicle sells, the proceeds go to Heritage for the Blind, EIN 58-2164446, to help fund services for people who are blind or visually impaired. Heritage also connects people with resources and benefit information, including programs such as SSI, LIHEAP, Medicare Extra Help, and Section 8. If you or someone you know wants to check possible benefit eligibility, you can visit nhftb.org/finder. Your Charlotte car donation becomes more than a convenient way to remove an unwanted vehicle; it helps support a mission-centered nonprofit.
Your tax receipt is mailed after the vehicle sells
Once the sale is complete, your tax documentation is prepared and mailed to you. For vehicles that sell for more than $500, Heritage for the Blind provides IRS Form 1098-C. For vehicles that sell for $500 or under, you receive a written acknowledgment. The full timeline from donation request to mailed tax receipt is typically 2–6 weeks, depending on pickup timing, auction processing, and sale completion. Keep your receipt with your tax records and speak with a tax professional about how a charitable vehicle donation may apply to your return.
Key facts about car donation
There is no cost to donate, schedule pickup, tow the vehicle, or receive your mailed tax receipt.
A coordinator typically calls within 1–2 business hours after your Drive to Give request is submitted.
Same-day or next-business-day towing is available in most metro areas, including many Charlotte Metro neighborhoods.
You sign the title over at pickup, and the licensed tow driver removes the vehicle.
Tax paperwork is mailed after sale: Form 1098-C over $500, written acknowledgment at $500 or under.
Heritage for the Blind is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with EIN 58-2164446.