How the car donation process works
You schedule a free Sacramento Metro pickup
Start by telling SacraCar Share about your vehicle, where it is located, and the best way to reach you. Free towing is available throughout the Sacramento Metro, including Midtown, Land Park, Natomas, Arden-Arcade, Elk Grove, Carmichael, Rancho Cordova, Roseville, Folsom, Citrus Heights, West Sacramento, and nearby communities. You do not need to drive the car anywhere. Once pickup is scheduled, a licensed towing partner comes to the vehicle, collects the keys and title paperwork when applicable, and moves it to the next step for assessment.
The vehicle is assessed after pickup
After towing, your car is reviewed for its condition, mileage, drivability, age, damage, and resale potential. This assessment helps determine the most practical path for turning the donation into charitable proceeds. A clean, running sedan from East Sacramento may have a different best outcome than a high-mileage SUV sitting in Citrus Heights or a non-running truck in Elk Grove. The goal is not to make the process complicated for you; it is to route the vehicle in a way that responsibly creates value for Heritage for the Blind.
Running, resalable vehicles typically go to auction
If your donated car runs and appears to be in resalable condition, it will typically be offered through a public or dealer auction. Auctions allow qualified buyers to compete for vehicles based on market demand, condition, mileage, and repair needs. SacraCar Share does not need you to repair, detail, smog, or advertise the vehicle before donating. Once the car sells, the gross sale price is documented. For vehicles that sell for over $500, that sale amount is used for your IRS Form 1098-C tax documentation.
Non-running or high-mileage vehicles are usually sold for parts or salvage
Not every donated vehicle is a good auction candidate, and that is okay. Cars with major mechanical issues, severe accident damage, missing parts, very high mileage, or long periods of non-use are typically sold to licensed salvage or parts buyers. This does not mean your donation has failed. It means the vehicle is being handled in the channel most likely to recover value from usable parts, recyclable materials, or salvage demand. Even an older car that will not start can still generate proceeds for Heritage for the Blind.
Sale proceeds directly support Heritage for the Blind
After the vehicle is sold at auction or through a licensed salvage or parts buyer, the sale proceeds go directly to Heritage for the Blind, EIN 58-2164446, a recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Those proceeds are charitable revenue that helps fund services for people who are blind or visually impaired. In most cases, vehicles are not repaired and handed to individual families; they are sold so the nonprofit can use the revenue to support its broader mission. That is how your Sacramento car donation becomes practical help.
Key facts about car donation
Free towing is available across the Sacramento Metro, including Sacramento, Elk Grove, Roseville, Folsom, Carmichael, and Rancho Cordova.
Running vehicles in resalable condition typically go to public or dealer auction after pickup and assessment.
Non-running, high-mileage, or heavily damaged vehicles typically go to licensed salvage or parts buyers for value recovery.
Heritage for the Blind (EIN 58-2164446) is a 501(c)(3); vehicle sale proceeds are charitable revenue.
For vehicles sold for over $500, donors receive IRS Form 1098-C showing the gross sale price.