How the car donation process works
You schedule a free Indianapolis pickup
Start by telling Indy Car Connect about your vehicle, where it is located, and whether you have the title available. Pickup is available across the Indy Metro area, including neighborhoods and communities such as Broad Ripple, Irvington, Fountain Square, Speedway, Carmel, Fishers, Greenwood, Lawrence, and Avon. A towing provider will contact you to arrange a convenient pickup window. The tow is free, whether the vehicle starts or not. You do not need to clean it up, repair it, or drive it anywhere.
The vehicle is reviewed after pickup
After the car, truck, van, SUV, motorcycle, or other accepted vehicle is picked up, it is assessed for the best resale path. The review looks at practical factors such as whether the vehicle runs, mileage, age, condition, accident damage, and resale demand in the local or regional market. This step is important because Heritage for the Blind receives revenue from the sale proceeds. The goal is not to create confusion or add extra steps for you. It is to place the vehicle where it can generate the strongest appropriate return for the charity.
Resalable vehicles typically go to auction
If your donated car is running and in resalable condition, it will typically be sent to a public or dealer auction. That does not mean the car must be perfect. Many auction buyers look for used vehicles with repairable needs, fleet potential, or basic transportation value. Once the vehicle sells, the gross sale price becomes the amount used for your charitable tax deduction if the vehicle sells for more than $500. Heritage for the Blind, EIN 58-2164446, receives the sale proceeds as revenue to support its mission.
Non-running vehicles may be sold for parts or salvage
If the vehicle does not run, has very high mileage, has major mechanical issues, or is not practical to resell at auction, it is typically sold to a licensed salvage or parts buyer. This is still a valuable donation path. A car sitting in a driveway in Beech Grove, Southport, Westfield, or downtown Indianapolis may no longer be useful to you, but its parts, metal, or salvage value can still create proceeds for Heritage for the Blind. You avoid towing costs, and the charity still benefits from the vehicle’s remaining value.
Proceeds fund Heritage for the Blind services
Heritage for the Blind is a real 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, EIN 58-2164446. The money generated by your vehicle’s sale goes directly to Heritage for the Blind as revenue to help fund services for people who are blind or visually impaired. Heritage also helps connect people with benefit information and resources, including SSI, LIHEAP, Medicare Extra Help, Section 8, and other assistance programs. Donors or families who want to check possible benefit eligibility can visit nhftb.org/finder for more information.
You receive the proper tax documentation
After the vehicle is sold, you receive documentation for your records. For vehicles that sell for more than $500, the IRS generally allows a deduction equal to the gross sale price, and Heritage for the Blind provides IRS Form 1098-C. Keep that form with your tax records and share it with your tax preparer if you use one. Indy Car Connect is designed to make the donation process simple: free towing, clear sale handling, and paperwork that reflects what happened to your vehicle.
Key facts about car donation
Free towing is available throughout Indianapolis and the surrounding Indy Metro communities.
Running vehicles in resalable condition typically go to public or dealer auction.
Non-running, damaged, or high-mileage vehicles usually go to licensed salvage or parts buyers.
Sale proceeds go directly to Heritage for the Blind, a 501(c)(3), EIN 58-2164446.
Vehicles selling for more than $500 qualify for IRS Form 1098-C documentation.
Your donation helps fund services for people who are blind or visually impaired.