How the car donation process works
Start with the 2-minute form or a call
Begin by completing Heartland Wheels' simple online donation form, which usually takes about two minutes, or call Heritage for the Blind directly. You will share basic details such as your name, contact information, the vehicle's location in Iowa, the year, make, model, mileage if known, and whether the vehicle runs. Do not worry if the car has been parked, needs repairs, or is missing some details. The goal of this first step is simply to confirm the vehicle and start your no-cost donation for Heritage for the Blind, EIN 58-2164446.
A coordinator calls back to schedule free pickup
After your form or call is received, a donation coordinator typically calls back within 1 to 2 business hours. They will confirm the vehicle details, answer questions, and help schedule a free tow at a time that works for you. Pickup is available across Iowa, including metro areas like Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Davenport, Sioux City, Council Bluffs, and Waterloo, as well as many surrounding suburbs and smaller communities. You pay nothing for scheduling, towing, processing, or paperwork support at any point in the donation.
The tow truck arrives and you sign the title
A licensed tow truck is sent to your home, apartment, workplace, repair shop, storage lot, or another approved location. In most Iowa metro areas, pickup can often happen the same day or the next business day, depending on availability and your schedule. Please have the vehicle title ready, remove personal belongings, and clear access to the vehicle if possible. At pickup, you sign the title over as instructed. The driver provides any pickup paperwork needed, loads the vehicle, and takes it away at no cost to you.
Your vehicle goes to auction or a parts reseller
Once the vehicle is picked up, it is transported to an appropriate auction, remarketing location, or parts reseller. The best path depends on the car's condition, age, mileage, demand, and local market options. A running sedan in Ames may be handled differently from a non-running truck near Bettendorf or an older SUV outside Dubuque, but the goal is the same: convert the donated vehicle into proceeds for the charity. You do not have to manage repairs, advertising, buyer calls, title transfer logistics, or negotiations.
Sale proceeds support Heritage for the Blind
After the vehicle sells or is otherwise processed, the net proceeds go to Heritage for the Blind, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, EIN 58-2164446. Those proceeds help fund services for people who are blind or visually impaired. Heritage for the Blind also helps connect individuals and families with benefit resources, and donors or community members who want to explore eligibility for programs such as SSI, LIHEAP, Medicare Extra Help, Section 8, and related assistance can visit nhftb.org/finder. Your unused vehicle becomes practical support without costing you a tow bill.
Your tax receipt is mailed after the vehicle sells
The full donation cycle typically takes about 2 to 6 weeks, depending on pickup timing, transport, sale processing, and paperwork. After the vehicle sells, your tax documentation is mailed to you. For vehicles that sell for more than $500, Heritage for the Blind provides IRS Form 1098-C. For vehicles that sell for $500 or under, you receive a written acknowledgment. Keep this document with your tax records and consult a tax advisor about how the deduction may apply to your specific situation.
Key facts about car donation
There is no cost to donate, schedule pickup, tow the vehicle, or receive your mailed tax receipt.
Most Iowa metro pickups can be scheduled for the same day or next business day, when available.
Have the signed title ready at pickup, and remove personal items before the tow truck arrives.
Vehicles over $500 receive IRS Form 1098-C; vehicles $500 or under receive written acknowledgment.
The complete process usually takes 2 to 6 weeks from initial contact to mailed tax documentation.
Heartland Wheels donations benefit Heritage for the Blind, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, EIN 58-2164446.