You may not think of cars and a kidney disease as having anything in common, but they do. You can help someone suffering from a kidney disease by donating your car. While you help someone with a kidney disease by donating your car, you can also help yourself with a nice tax break.

Kidney Cars is an organization that helps you get rid of your car and do some good in the world. It does not matter if the muffler is falling off. You can donate your car to Kidney Cars, support a great cause, and get a tax write off. Kidneys and cars do go together. Learn more about this great organization and how you can help.

About Kidney Cars

Kidney Cars are a branch of the National Kidney Foundation, an organization that helps people with a kidney disease. This foundation provides support directly to the patient, helps connect donors with recipients, provides support for kidney specialists and providers, and supports research.

Being diagnosed with a kidney disease is life-changing. There are over 37 million people in the United States that are diagnosed with a kidney disease. As the disease progresses, there is an increased risk of other systemic health problems.

A kidney disease can lead to kidney failure. You cannot live with at least one functioning kidney. People who reach the end stage of a kidney disease have to sit through hours of kidney dialysis, a painful process that artificially cleans the blood (the main function of the kidney).

Kidney disease can be debilitating. CKD (chronic kidney disease) requires medical support, nutritional monitoring, and regular blood work to monitor the condition. CKD can damage the kidneys beyond repair and ultimately require a transplant to live life normally. Unfortunately, waiting lists for transplants are long, and many people realize the fatal effects of this disease before they ever find a match.

The National Kidney Foundation is a support system that is in place to help people that have been diagnosed with a kidney disease find resources, education, and other support. They also help caregivers link with providers and other interested parties. They make a huge impact on people suffering from a kidney disease and educating the public about kidney disease.

Kidney disease is a serious life-threatening disease. The National Kidney Foundation is a lifeline for those that are suffering from kidney disease.

How Your Car Can Make a Difference

The National Kidney Foundation was the first charitable organization to accept cars for a donation. They have perfected the process to make it as easy as possible for donors. Donated cars are recycled, and the National Kidney Foundation uses the proceeds for program support.

Instead of sending your car to one of the vehicle savage yards, you can donate it to Kidney Cars and help out a great organization. The process is simple and is actually a lot easier than trying to find a place to get rid of your car.

If you send your car to the salvage yard, you likely will have to cover the costs of the tow truck company. If you donate your car to Kidney Cars, you will have zero out of pocket expenses. Here is some information that may be helpful in making your decision:

  • If your car requires extensive automobile services and is just not worth putting the money into, you can still donate it. Your car does not have to be a running vehicle to donate it. There are many reasons why people decide to donate to Kidney Cars. You can find your reason and make a difference.
  • It can have a salvage title. Sometimes after car accidents, insurance companies decide that the car is a total loss. In many cases, you can keep the car by “buying it back” for a small sum out of the settlement. You can donate that car.
  • Basically, if the car has four wheels, a steering wheel, and most of the parts intact, you can donate it.

Kidney Cars works with a network of volunteers that help them recycle the car, sell it at auction, and take the proceeds and put them toward their programs. They depend heavily on donors like you to keep their programs up and running

What If I Do Not Have a Car To Donate?

Don’t have a car to donate? How about a van or a truck? Kidney Cars is not too picky about its donations. They take trucks, vans, motorcycles, and more. They have had some really unique donations over the years that they took gratefully and turned into funding for their programs.

Any gift in their eyes is an awesome help that is always appreciated. Any donation that helps them stay on track with helping people deal with a kidney disease is never refused. Every gift makes a difference to someone with a kidney disease. They can reach more people, help educate more people, and keep their network strong through donations.

That used construction machinery for sale that has been sitting for a little while, that is also a welcome donation. Kidney Cars takes all types of machinery and motorized vehicles. They very rarely turn away any donation, if ever.

Other vehicles that you can donate include used boats. Here is other motorized equipment you can donate:

  • Farm equipment.
  • ATV’s.
  • Motor cross bikes.

Anything that you have lying around that has a motor is likely a viable donation. You can connect with Kidney Cars if you have any questions about donations.

There are many cars and other motorized vehicles that are just wasting away and taking up space in the United States. About 77% of the people surveyed recently said they thought owning a motor vehicle was very important. Unfortunately, like all things, motorized vehicles and equipment have a shelf life no matter how many auto upgrades you do. Eventually, all cars and other motorized equipment reach the end of their useful life for you, but it can do more good when you donate it instead of letting it sit and musing over the memories.

How Do You Donate Your Car to Kidney Cars?

It is a simple three-step process to donate your car, truck, van, or other motorized equipment and vehicles to Kidney Cars. You can start the process with a phone call to 800.488.CARS (2277) or fill out the form online.

Schedule a pickup time that works with your schedule. Once your donation has been picked up, you will receive your donation verification in about a week. It is that simple to earn great tax credit while helping a really worthwhile foundation out.

You do not even have to be home for the pickup. You simply make arrangements beforehand, and your donation can be picked up whether you are there or not. You do not have to sit around and wait or miss work to donate.

The process is simple, straightforward, and really no hassle for you. Kidney Cars makes it as easy as possible to get rid of that old clunker.

Lost Titles

One of the requirements to donate a car or other vehicle to help someone diagnosed with a kidney disease is that you have a free and clear title. Of course, titles get lost through the years. The National Kidney Foundation has experts on hand that can help you get a replacement title.

A simple phone call can help you get the information that you need to apply for a new title so you can make your donation worry-free. It is easy to donate to Kidney Cars.

What Happens To the Car, Truck, Van Or Other Equipment?

Your donation goes up for auction and is sold off to the highest bidder. Sometimes used car dealerships, in the interest of helping a great organization and shoring up their inventory, will buy cars that are running through the auctions. If the vehicle or equipment is not in running condition, they are sold to recyclers that recycle the vehicle for parts.

In any case, once you donate, Kidney Cars does everything else. You can just enjoy knowing you did some good with a vehicle or equipment that you no longer needed or wanted.

Tax Benefits

What about the tax benefits of donating your car, truck, van, or equipment? According to the IRS website, you can deduce the full amount of the sale. The National Kidney Foundation strives to sell every donation at the highest possible price. You will be provided with a receipt for your tax records that lists the sale price that was received by the foundation.

You can either claim the total sale price of your donation, or you can claim a $500 credit, whichever is greater. So let’s say you donate your old car, and it sells at auction for $150. In that case, you would claim the $500 deduction because $500 is higher than the actual sale price. Let’s say you donate your old used boat, and that brings in $2000 at auction. You would claim the $2000 credit when you file your taxes because that is higher than the $500 standard deduction.

Who knew that giving your unwanted car to an organization that helps so many people could actually put money right back in your pocket? It almost sounds too good to be true, but it is not. Thousands of people every year take advantage of the tax benefits of charitable donations.

Why You Should Donate

Donating your car or another vehicle to Kidney Cars not only helps people that have been diagnosed with a kidney disease, but it delivers other benefits as well. The environment really takes a hit from unwanted cars, trucks, vans, and other motorized equipment.

Donating your motorized vehicle or equipment keeps it from winding up sitting and being a potential danger to the environment. Of course, you also have the benefits of getting rid of the eyesore sitting on your property. Kidney Cars recycles cars and keeps them out of the landfill.

Don’t forget about the potential of that generous tax credit you can earn with a donation to Kidney Cars. Getting that tax credit can lower your tax liability for the year. Your vehicle can help someone with a kidney disease while putting money back in your pocket. Anything that reduces your tax liability reduces the amount of taxes that you owe, which is like earning money.

It feels good to do something good for a worthy organization. Whether you know someone that has been diagnosed with kidney disease or not, there are plenty of people out there that rely on this program for support. Your donation will help this foundation to carry on its important work.

Other Ways to Help

The National Kidney Foundation would love to have your old car, truck, van, and other motorized equipment that you do not want anymore, but if you cannot help that way, there are other ways you can get involved.

You can volunteer, host a fundraiser and become an advocate. Of course, you can always donate cash. This important cause depends on people like you to stay afloat. Volunteering your time can help to make someone that has been diagnosed with a kidney disease easier. Hosting a fundraiser can be a fun way to raise awareness about this debilitating disease and get your community involved with making a difference. Fundraisers are great projects for civic groups, school groups, community organizations, and other groups looking for a way to make a difference together.

Spread the word about kidney disease and share healthy kidney practice with friends and family. You can be a part of the solution for the millions of people in the United States affected by a kidney disease by making people aware of the problem.

You have the power to make a difference when you partner with the National Kidney Foundation as a donor. There are so many benefits to helping out through this organization. Consider donating your car, truck, van, or other motorized equipment, or getting involved in another way.