How the car donation process works
You start with a simple donation request
When you donate through Drive Forward, you share basic vehicle details such as year, make, model, mileage, condition, title status, and where the vehicle is parked in the Hartford Metro. You do not need to know the final selling path in advance. Whether your car is in a driveway in West Hartford, a garage in East Hartford, or at an apartment near Asylum Hill, the donation team uses your information to begin scheduling and routing. The goal is to make the process easy for you while preparing the vehicle for the best available resale or salvage option.
Your vehicle is picked up with a free tow
After your donation is accepted, a licensed towing provider contacts you to arrange free pickup at a convenient time. Free towing is available across Hartford and surrounding communities, including Wethersfield, Windsor, Manchester, Glastonbury, New Britain, and Bloomfield. In many cases, you do not need to be present if the title and keys can be handled according to the pickup instructions. The tow is free because the purpose is to convert the vehicle into charitable proceeds for Heritage for the Blind, EIN 58-2164446, not to create another expense for the donor.
The vehicle is assessed after pickup
Once the vehicle is picked up, it is evaluated based on condition, mileage, drivability, age, damage, and resale potential. This is the point where the likely path becomes clear. A running vehicle in resalable condition is usually a better candidate for a public or dealer auction. A non-running car, heavily damaged SUV, or very high-mileage truck may create more value through a licensed salvage or parts buyer. The assessment is practical and value-focused: the vehicle is routed where it is most likely to produce the strongest charitable proceeds.
Auction, resale, salvage, or parts buyers handle the sale
Most donated vehicles are not simply handed to a family or kept by the charity. Instead, they are converted into funding. Running vehicles in saleable condition typically go to public or dealer auction, where buyers bid based on market demand and condition. Vehicles that are too old, damaged, non-running, or expensive to repair typically go to licensed salvage or parts buyers. In some cases, an auction or resale vendor may perform basic preparation if it helps the vehicle sell, but the central purpose is always to maximize charitable value responsibly.
Proceeds support Heritage for the Blind services
After the vehicle sells, the sale proceeds go directly to Heritage for the Blind, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, EIN 58-2164446. Those proceeds are the charity revenue generated by your donated vehicle, and they help fund services for people who are blind or visually impaired. If your vehicle sells for more than $500, you receive IRS Form 1098-C showing the gross sale price, which is generally the amount used for your charitable vehicle deduction. Drive Forward helps turn an unwanted car in the Hartford Metro into mission-supporting funds.
Key facts about car donation
Free towing is available throughout Hartford Metro, including Hartford, West Hartford, East Hartford, Manchester, Windsor, and New Britain.
Running, clean-title vehicles in resalable condition typically head to a public or dealer auction after pickup.
Non-running, damaged, or very high-mileage vehicles typically sell to licensed salvage or parts buyers for value.
Heritage for the Blind is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, EIN 58-2164446, and receives vehicle sale proceeds as revenue.
For vehicles selling over $500, donors receive IRS Form 1098-C showing the gross sale price.
Drive Forward does not require your car to run; many donated vehicles still create charitable value.