How the car donation process works
Start with the 2-minute form or call Heritage for the Blind
Begin by completing OceanState Donor’s quick online donation form or by calling Heritage for the Blind directly. You will share basic information about the vehicle, such as the year, make, model, general condition, location, and whether you have the title. You do not need to know the vehicle’s value or make any commitment before asking questions. Donors across Rhode Island, from Providence’s East Side to Warwick, Cumberland, Middletown, and South Kingstown, can start the same way. There is no fee to submit the form and no towing cost later.
A coordinator calls back within 1–2 business hours
After your form is received, a donation coordinator typically calls within 1–2 business hours to confirm details and schedule your free pickup. This call is your chance to ask practical questions: where the car is parked, whether it starts, who should be present, and what you need to sign. The coordinator will help choose a convenient pickup window at your home, office, repair shop, driveway, apartment lot, or other accessible location. Rhode Island donors often schedule around work, ferry plans, school pickup, or limited street parking, and the team will guide you through those details.
Free pickup is scheduled, often same-day or next business day
In most Rhode Island metro areas, including Providence, Cranston, Warwick, Pawtucket, East Providence, Johnston, North Providence, and nearby suburbs, a licensed tow truck can often arrive the same day or the next business day. Pickup is free, even if the vehicle does not run. When the driver arrives, you will sign the title over at pickup, remove personal items, and hand over the keys if available. The driver may provide pickup paperwork, but your official tax receipt is mailed later after the vehicle is sold.
Your vehicle is moved to auction or a parts reseller
After pickup, the vehicle is transported to an appropriate sale channel, usually an auction or parts reseller, depending on its condition, age, mileage, and market demand. A running sedan from Newport may be handled differently than a non-running truck in Woonsocket or an older SUV in Narragansett, but the goal is the same: process the donation efficiently and create sale proceeds for the nonprofit mission. You do not pay storage, transport, auction, or processing costs. OceanState Donor and Heritage for the Blind keep the steps moving after the tow.
Sale proceeds support Heritage for the Blind’s mission
When the vehicle sells, the proceeds go to Heritage for the Blind, a recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, EIN 58-2164446. Heritage for the Blind supports services and assistance for people who are blind or visually impaired. Heritage also helps connect people with benefit resources, including SSI, LIHEAP, Medicare Extra Help, Section 8, and other programs; donors or families who want to check possible benefit eligibility can visit nhftb.org/finder. Your donated car, truck, van, SUV, motorcycle, or other vehicle becomes part of that broader mission.
Your tax receipt is mailed after the vehicle sells
The full donation timeline is typically 2–6 weeks from first contact to mailed tax documentation, depending on pickup timing and how quickly the vehicle sells. After the sale, your tax receipt 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 the document with your tax records and consult a tax professional about your specific deduction. There is no cost to you at any step.
Key facts about car donation
The online form takes about 2 minutes, or you can call Heritage for the Blind to start.
A coordinator typically calls within 1–2 business hours to schedule your free Rhode Island pickup.
Same-day or next-business-day towing is available in most Providence-area and Rhode Island metro locations.
You sign the title over at pickup; the tow itself costs you nothing.
Tax documentation is mailed after sale: Form 1098-C over $500, acknowledgment for $500 or under.
The entire donation process usually takes 2–6 weeks from first contact to mailed tax receipt.