How the car donation process works
Start with a Michigan donation request
Begin by telling Great Lakes Givers about the vehicle you want to donate and where it is located in Michigan. Donors give from Detroit, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Ann Arbor, Flint, Kalamazoo, Traverse City, Warren, Dearborn, Sterling Heights, and nearby suburbs such as Royal Oak, Ferndale, Livonia, Novi, and Wyoming. You do not need to be a car expert. Basic details like year, make, model, mileage, title status, and pickup location help confirm the next step. The goal is to make donating easy while keeping the mission clear from the first call or form submission.
Schedule free towing at a convenient location
After your donation is accepted, free pickup is scheduled at a location that works for you. That may be your home driveway in Midtown Detroit, an apartment lot in East Lansing, a workplace in Southfield, a family property near Muskegon, or a repair shop in Ypsilanti. There is no towing charge to the donor. If your vehicle does not run, that is often still okay. The towing partner will coordinate timing, explain what to have ready, and remove the vehicle so you can complete the gift without arranging transportation yourself.
The vehicle is sold to create mission funding
Once the vehicle is picked up, it is sold through the appropriate resale channel. The gross sale price becomes the amount reported for tax purposes when the vehicle sells for more than $500, and IRS Form 1098-C is issued. Most importantly for mission-motivated donors, 100-percent of vehicle proceeds go to Heritage for the Blind. That means the value created from your unwanted car is directed to a nonprofit purpose instead of sitting unused in a garage, driveway, or storage lot.
Proceeds support services for blind and visually impaired people
Heritage for the Blind uses vehicle donation proceeds to help fund services for people who are blind or visually impaired. Support includes helping individuals understand and connect with government assistance programs that may improve stability, health access, housing, utilities, or income. These programs can include SSI, SSDI, LIHEAP, Section 8, Medicare Extra Help, and Medicaid. For many people, knowing where to start is the hardest part. Heritage for the Blind helps bridge that gap by pointing individuals toward benefits and resources that may fit their needs.
Receive tax documentation for your records
Heritage for the Blind is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, EIN 58-2164446. Donations to 501(c)(3) charities may be tax-deductible for donors who itemize deductions. If your donated vehicle sells for more than $500, your deduction is generally based on the gross vehicle sale price, and you receive IRS Form 1098-C for your tax records. Keep that form with your filing documents and speak with a tax advisor if you have questions about your personal situation. The donation process is designed to be clear, documented, and donor-friendly.
Key facts about car donation
Heritage for the Blind is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, EIN 58-2164446, supporting blind and visually impaired Americans.
100-percent of vehicle proceeds from your Michigan car donation go to Heritage for the Blind.
Free towing is available across Michigan, including cities, suburbs, rural communities, and many repair-shop pickup locations.
For vehicles sold for more than $500, donors receive IRS Form 1098-C showing the gross sale price.
Donors who itemize may be able to deduct their eligible 501(c)(3) vehicle donation.
People seeking assistance can check benefit eligibility through Heritage for the Blind at nhftb.org/finder.