Car Donation Organizations

A growing number of people who want to contribute to their favorite charities are doing so through car donation. Because of this there are a variety of car donation organizations devoted to processing donated cars and sending the funds raised from these cars to nonprofit organizations. Also called vehicle donation centers, these organizations can be found all over the United States. It is likely you have a vehicle donation center located within reasonable driving distance.

You may even have more than one donation center in your area. If this is the case, it may be difficult to know who to choose. Always make sure the facility is designated as a 501 nonprofit. Also, find out what percentage of the proceeds from the sale of a donated vehicle goes to charity. Some facilities, such as Cars 4 Causes, donate a full 100 percent of the proceeds to charity and rely on donations and grants to pay their operating expenses. Organizations such as these work with a wide range of different charities.

The organization you choose may let you select which charity you want to donate the money from the sale of your vehicle to. This is ideal for anyone who already knows what kind of charity they want to help. There are all kinds of charities from small to large that assist all kinds of people and even animals in need. Examples would include local battered women's shelters, animal rescue centers, environmental protection charities and more all the way up to big nationwide charities like the American Cancer Society and the Salvation Army.

After you've chosen between car donation organizations the actual process of donating your vehicle is easy. The vehicle should ideally run, but even if it doesn't many charities will still take it. You can drop the vehicle off at the facility or they can send a tow truck to pick it up at no cost to you. It is better to take it yourself as a tow truck eats into the proceeds received by the charity. There is paperwork you will need to fill out, and the title will need to be signed over. The donation organization will provide you with documentation so you can receive a tax deduction. The IRS allows deductions up to $500 for vehicles donated to charity.

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