How the car donation process works
You start with a simple donation request
Start by telling Rev Up Local about your vehicle and where it is located in the St. Louis Metro. Donors give from neighborhoods and suburbs such as Central West End, Soulard, Florissant, Kirkwood, Chesterfield, Belleville, St. Charles, and beyond. You do not need to know the vehicle’s value, and you do not have to decide whether it should be auctioned, repaired, or salvaged. Share the year, make, model, mileage, condition, and title status, and the donation team will help move the process forward.
Your vehicle is picked up at no cost
Once the donation is accepted, free towing is arranged at a time that works for you. Pickup is commonly available throughout the St. Louis Metro, including city streets, apartment lots, driveways, offices, and repair shops where permitted. You will remove personal belongings, provide the keys if available, and sign over the title according to Missouri or Illinois requirements. The vehicle does not have to run to be considered. Free tow helps make donating easier than trying to sell, repair, or scrap the vehicle yourself.
The vehicle is assessed after pickup
After pickup, the vehicle is reviewed for condition, mileage, drivability, demand, and likely resale channel. This is where the decision is made about the best way to turn the donation into proceeds for Heritage for the Blind, EIN 58-2164446. A cleaner, running vehicle with resale potential may be routed differently than a damaged, non-running, or very high-mileage vehicle. Donors are not asked to manage this step. The goal is practical: place the vehicle where it can reasonably generate value for the charity’s mission.
Running vehicles typically go to auction
If your donated car, truck, van, or SUV is running and in resalable condition, it will typically be sold through a public or dealer auction. Auction buyers may include dealers, wholesalers, mechanics, or private buyers depending on the venue and vehicle. Heritage for the Blind does not promise that a specific vehicle will go to a family in need, because most donated vehicles are converted into cash proceeds. Those proceeds are what help the organization support services for blind and visually impaired people.
Non-running vehicles may go to salvage or parts buyers
If the vehicle will not start, has major mechanical issues, body damage, missing parts, or very high mileage, it will typically be sold to a licensed salvage or parts buyer. That does not mean the donation is wasted. Even vehicles that are not practical to repair can often create value through parts, metal, or salvage resale. Instead of paying for removal or letting an unwanted vehicle sit in a St. Louis driveway or lot, your donation can still help generate proceeds for Heritage for the Blind.
Proceeds support Heritage for the Blind services
After the vehicle is sold, the gross sale proceeds go directly to Heritage for the Blind, a recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit, EIN 58-2164446. Those proceeds are revenue used to help fund services for people who are blind or visually impaired. If your vehicle sells for more than $500, you will receive IRS Form 1098-C showing the gross sale price, which is generally the amount used for your vehicle donation tax deduction. Keep that form with your tax records and consult a tax professional for personal advice.
Key facts about car donation
Free towing is available for eligible vehicle donations throughout the St. Louis Metro.
Running, resalable vehicles typically go to public or dealer auction after pickup.
Non-running, damaged, or high-mileage vehicles typically go to licensed salvage or parts buyers.
Sale proceeds go directly to Heritage for the Blind, 501(c)(3), EIN 58-2164446.
For vehicles sold over $500, donors receive IRS Form 1098-C with the gross sale price.
Donors can visit nhftb.org/finder to check eligibility for benefits and assistance programs.