How the car donation process works
You Schedule a Free Indiana Vehicle Pickup
Your donation starts with a simple pickup request through Hoosier Wheels. Free towing is available across Indiana, including neighborhoods and suburbs around Indianapolis, Carmel, Fishers, Noblesville, Greenwood, Fort Wayne, South Bend, Lafayette, Bloomington, Evansville, and nearby communities. You do not have to make repairs, detail the car, or get it running before donation. Once your pickup is scheduled, a licensed towing provider collects the vehicle at a time that works for you. From there, the vehicle enters the assessment process so it can be sold in the most practical way.
The Vehicle Is Assessed After Pickup
After pickup, the donated vehicle is reviewed for condition, mileage, drivability, age, and resale potential. This assessment helps determine the best sale path. A running vehicle in reasonable cosmetic and mechanical condition may have more value at auction. A non-running vehicle, severely damaged car, very high-mileage vehicle, or vehicle with major mechanical issues may be better suited for a licensed salvage or parts buyer. The goal is not to place every car in the same category. The goal is to responsibly convert each Indiana donation into the strongest practical proceeds for Heritage for the Blind.
Running, Resalable Vehicles Typically Go to Auction
If your donated car, truck, van, or SUV runs and appears resalable, it will typically be offered through a public or dealer auction. Auction buyers may include dealers, rebuilders, wholesalers, or individual buyers depending on the sale channel. Hoosier Wheels does not promise a specific sale price, because market value depends on demand, condition, location, mileage, and buyer interest. What matters is that the vehicle is sold through a process designed to create revenue for Heritage for the Blind, EIN 58-2164446, so the donation can help fund services for blind and visually impaired people.
Non-Running or High-Mileage Cars May Be Sold for Parts
Not every donated car is road-ready, and that is okay. If your Indiana vehicle has a bad transmission, engine trouble, collision damage, rust, missing parts, or very high mileage, it may be sold to a licensed salvage or parts buyer instead of going to a traditional auction. This does not mean the donation failed. It means the vehicle is being matched with the buyer channel most likely to produce value from the car as it is. Even a vehicle that cannot be driven can still generate proceeds for Heritage for the Blind’s charitable work.
Sale Proceeds Go to Heritage for the Blind
After the vehicle is sold, the gross sale proceeds become revenue for Heritage for the Blind, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with EIN 58-2164446. Those proceeds help fund services for people who are blind or visually impaired. Your car is not usually handed directly to a family in need; instead, it is converted into funding that supports the nonprofit’s mission. Heritage also helps connect people with benefit resources, including programs such as SSI, LIHEAP, Medicare Extra Help, and Section 8. Donors and families can explore eligibility resources at nhftb.org/finder.
You Receive the Tax Documentation After Sale
Once your donated vehicle sells, you receive documentation for your records. If the vehicle sells for more than $500, Heritage for the Blind provides IRS Form 1098-C, and your tax deduction is generally equal to the vehicle’s gross sale price. If it sells for $500 or less, different IRS rules may apply. Hoosier Wheels cannot provide tax advice, so you should speak with a qualified tax professional about your specific return. The important point is that your Indiana donation is sold, documented, and connected to a recognized 501(c)(3) charity.
Key facts about car donation
Free towing is available for donated vehicles across Indiana through Hoosier Wheels.
Vehicles are assessed after pickup to determine the best sale path.
Running vehicles in resalable condition typically go to public or dealer auction.
Non-running, damaged, or high-mileage vehicles may be sold to licensed salvage or parts buyers.
Sale proceeds go directly to Heritage for the Blind, EIN 58-2164446.
For vehicles selling over $500, donors receive IRS Form 1098-C.