How the car donation process works
You start the donation and schedule free Virginia pickup
The process begins when you provide basic information about your car, truck, van, SUV, motorcycle, or other eligible vehicle. AutoHeritage Donate helps arrange free towing from many Virginia locations, including neighborhoods around Richmond, Hampton Roads, Northern Virginia, the Shenandoah Valley, and Southwest Virginia. You do not need to deliver the vehicle yourself. Once pickup is scheduled, the towing provider will confirm access, key availability, title details, and any special instructions. The goal is to make donating simple, especially if the vehicle is not safe to drive, has been sitting, or no longer fits your needs.
After pickup, the vehicle is assessed
Once the donated vehicle is picked up, it is reviewed for condition, mileage, drivability, age, market demand, and resale potential. This assessment helps determine the best way to convert the vehicle into funding for Heritage for the Blind, EIN 58-2164446. A clean, running vehicle with resale demand may be handled very differently from a vehicle with major mechanical problems, accident damage, missing parts, or extremely high mileage. The assessment is practical, not mysterious: the vehicle is routed toward the selling channel that is expected to produce the most appropriate value after handling and sale.
Running, resalable vehicles typically go to auction
If your donated car runs and appears to be in resalable condition, it typically goes to a public or dealer auction. Auction buyers may include dealers, wholesalers, or individual buyers depending on the venue and vehicle type. AutoHeritage Donate does not need you to repair, detail, or advertise the car before donating. The auction process helps establish a real sale price in the marketplace. When the vehicle sells, the gross sale price is used for the donor’s tax documentation when IRS rules require Form 1098-C, especially for vehicles that sell for more than $500.
Non-running or high-mileage vehicles usually go to salvage or parts buyers
Not every donated car is a good auction candidate, and that is okay. Vehicles that do not run, have costly mechanical problems, are severely damaged, or have very high mileage typically go to licensed salvage or parts buyers. These buyers may purchase the vehicle for reusable parts, metal value, or repair potential. This route can still create revenue for Heritage for the Blind without asking you to pay for towing, repairs, storage, or disposal. Even a vehicle that feels like a burden in your driveway in Virginia can still help fund the nonprofit mission.
The sale proceeds fund Heritage for the Blind services
Heritage for the Blind is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, EIN 58-2164446, and sale proceeds from donated vehicles are revenue for the charity. Those proceeds help support services for people who are blind or visually impaired. The donated vehicle is generally sold, not promised directly to a family, because selling it is the standard way to convert the asset into flexible mission funding. Heritage also helps connect people with benefit resources, and donors or families who want to check possible eligibility for programs such as SSI, LIHEAP, Medicare Extra Help, or Section 8 can visit nhftb.org/finder.
You receive the tax documents required for your donation
After the vehicle is sold, tax documentation is provided according to IRS rules. For vehicles that sell for more than $500, the donor receives IRS Form 1098-C showing the gross sale price. In that situation, your potential charitable deduction is generally equal to the gross sale price shown on the form, subject to your personal tax situation. Heritage for the Blind, EIN 58-2164446, is a qualified 501(c)(3), but AutoHeritage Donate cannot provide tax advice. Donors should keep all receipts and forms and consult a tax professional if they have questions.
Key facts about car donation
Free towing is available for many donated vehicles throughout Virginia through AutoHeritage Donate.
Running, resalable vehicles typically go to public or dealer auction after pickup and assessment.
Non-running, damaged, or high-mileage vehicles typically go to licensed salvage or parts buyers.
Sale proceeds go directly to Heritage for the Blind, a 501(c)(3), EIN 58-2164446.
For vehicles selling over $500, donors receive IRS Form 1098-C with the gross sale price.
Your car is usually sold to create mission funding, not directly assigned to a family.