How the car donation process works
Start with the 2-minute donation form or a quick call
Begin by filling out the short online donation form for Heartland Motors Trust or by calling Heritage for the Blind directly. You will provide basic details such as your name, Illinois pickup address, phone number, vehicle year, make, model, approximate condition, and title status. You do not need to know the vehicle’s value or make repairs first. Cars, trucks, vans, SUVs, and many non-running vehicles can be considered. This first step usually takes about two minutes and simply gives the coordinator enough information to arrange the free pickup.
A coordinator calls back within 1–2 business hours
After your form is submitted, a donation coordinator typically calls you back within 1–2 business hours during normal business times. The coordinator confirms your vehicle information, answers questions, and helps schedule a pickup window that works for you. Illinois donors can often arrange pickup at a home, apartment building, workplace, repair shop, storage lot, or family member’s driveway. If the vehicle is in a busy Chicago neighborhood, a suburban cul-de-sac in Schaumburg, or a rural area outside Springfield, the coordinator will help note access details for the towing company.
Your vehicle is picked up for free, often fast
A licensed tow truck is scheduled to come to your Illinois pickup location. In most metro areas, including the Chicago suburbs, Aurora, Joliet, Rockford, Peoria, and Champaign-Urbana, same-day or next-business-day pickup may be available depending on schedule and vehicle access. There is no towing fee, no hidden pickup charge, and no obligation to pay the driver. At pickup, you sign the vehicle title over as instructed. Have your keys ready if you have them, remove personal belongings, and take off or return license plates according to Illinois requirements.
The vehicle goes to auction or a parts reseller
Once the tow is complete, your donated vehicle is transported to the appropriate selling channel. Many vehicles are sent to auction, while some older, damaged, or non-running vehicles may go to a licensed parts reseller or recycler. You do not have to manage the sale, meet buyers, advertise the car, or negotiate a price. This is especially helpful if the car has been sitting unused in a garage in Oak Park, a driveway in Decatur, or a lot near East St. Louis and you simply want a clean, responsible next step.
Sale proceeds support Heritage for the Blind
After the vehicle sells, the proceeds go to Heritage for the Blind, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, EIN 58-2164446. Your donation helps fund services and support for people who are blind or visually impaired. Heritage also connects people with benefit resources, and donors or families who want to check eligibility for programs such as SSI, LIHEAP, Medicare Extra Help, Section 8, and related assistance can visit nhftb.org/finder. Your unused car becomes more than a vehicle removal; it becomes a way to support a mission with real human purpose.
Your tax receipt is mailed after the vehicle sells
After the sale is completed, your tax documentation is mailed to you. If the vehicle sells for more than $500, Heritage for the Blind provides IRS Form 1098-C. If it sells for $500 or less, you receive a written acknowledgment. The full donation timeline, from your initial form or call to receipt mailing, typically takes about 2–6 weeks, depending on pickup timing, sale processing, and mail delivery. Keep your receipt with your tax records and ask a qualified tax professional how the deduction applies to your personal return.
Key facts about car donation
Illinois vehicle pickup is free, with no towing charge to the donor at any step.
Most metro pickups can be scheduled for same-day or next-business-day service when availability allows.
You sign the title over at pickup, so prepare the title before the tow truck arrives.
Vehicles over $500 receive IRS Form 1098-C; vehicles $500 or under receive written acknowledgment.
The overall process usually takes 2–6 weeks from donation start to mailed tax receipt.
Proceeds benefit Heritage for the Blind, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, EIN 58-2164446.