KIDNEY CAR DONATION PROGRAM
Welcome to the Kidney Cars Program, the easy way to donate your car, van, truck, or boat. By donating your vehicle, you are helping to fund public education, patient and community services, research, professional education and organ donation programs of the National Kidney Foundation (NKF).
Download the form and please fax back to us at (713) 952-5497
You can also fill it out and email it back to us at customerservice@nkfset.org
How Kidney Car Donations Work
Kidney Cars offers year-round pick-up in metropolitan Houston and the surrounding areas. Simply call 713-952-5499 or 800-961-5683 and give us information about your vehicle or click here to download the form and donate your car.
Two requirements are that: 1. The vehicle must be whole (needs an engine and at least 2 wheels), and 2. You must hold clear title to the vehicle.
You will need the following information:
- The year, make and model of your vehicle.
- The approximate mileage and general condition of the vehicle.
- Your vehicle identification number (VIN). This 17-digit number can be found on your registration, your title and your insurance policy. It can also be found on your car, near the base of the windshield, usually on the left-hand side. Some older vehicles have the VIN number on the left-hand door post or the outer end of the driver's side door.
If you call in your donation, an NKF representative will answer any questions you might have about Kidney Car Donation program procedures. You will be asked some questions about the vehicle's location and condition to help in scheduling your free* pick-up. We accept nearly every vehicle offered to us and tow it free* of charge. However, we are sometimes unable to accept a vehicle for donation because the amount it would bring, due to factors such as age, make or condition, would not offset the cost to tow and process it. In some locations, we are able to offset this potential loss by asking contributors to pay a small towing charge. When your car is accepted for donation, sign on the back of the title in the space indicated for "Seller" and place it in the glove compartment of the donated vehicle.
Once the NKF receives your completed online donor form, we will contact you to schedule your free* tow. After your car is towed away, the NKF will send you a letter acknowledging receipt of your donated vehicle, bearing the make, model and vehicle identification number of your vehicle. You will also receive the appropriate IRS tax forms you need to complete to receive your tax deduction. Please note that, as of January 2007, you can only receive a tax deduction for the actual sale price of the car at auction. We will include that amount in your receipt. Check with your tax advisor if you have any questions.
- In some locations there may be a small towing charge.
Download the form and please fax back to us at (713) 952-5497
You can also fill it out and email it back to us at customerservice@nkfset.org
Who benefits when you become a kidney car donor?
You Do -
- Seeking a potential tax deduction?
- Unwilling to go through the time, expense, loss of privacy and possible security risk of selling the vehicle yourself and dealing with strangers?
- Unhappy with the trade-in-value offered for your vehicle?
- Tired of paying registration fees, property taxes and insurance premiums on an infrequently used vehicle?
- Spending too much on repairs?
The Kidney Cars Program offers you an easy way to get rid of your car, van, truck or boat with one phone call. You may even get a tax deduction (check with your accountant or tax advisor for details).
Your Community Does -
The Kidney Cars Program has helped neighborhood beautification efforts in thousands of communities across the country by removing vehicles at no cost to their owners or to tax payers. Neighborhood clean-up programs have a positive effect on safety and property values, not to mention the boost they give to community residents.
The Environment Does -
Last year, more than 69,000 unwanted vehicles were collected for either reuse or recycling. This helps the environment in three important ways:
Reducing Air Pollution. Since 1992 the Kidney Cars Program has removed from the highway thousands of unwanted vehicles, some of which are ten years old or older and have a high level of emissions that pollute the air and destroy the ozone layer.
Increasing Reuse. All Kidney Cars that are no longer in working order are used for parts and, ultimately, shredded. The availability of these parts means a cost savings passed on to the consumer.
Increasing Recycling. Car parts not suitable for reuse are shredded and recycled. We estimate that last year alone more than 52,000 tons of materials were collected and recycled through our efforts, putting to new use material that would otherwise have ended up in landfills.
According to the Steel Recycling Institute, every ton of steel we recycle saves 2,500 pounds of iron ore, 1,400 pounds of coal and 120 pounds of limestone. For more information on recycling other steel products, such as cans and appliances, contact the Steel Recycling Institute at 1-800-937-1226.
Kidney Patients Do -
Proceeds from Kidney Cars are used in the community to fund a variety of National Kidney Foundation programs. These proceeds help fund research, professional education, public health education, and patient and community services.
The National Kidney Foundation is the nation's leading voluntary health agency dedicated to preventing kidney and urinary tract diseases, improving the health and well-being of individuals and families affected by these diseases and increasing the availability of all organs for transplantation. Leading our efforts are more than 30,000 volunteers from all walks of life. Together they bring help and hope to the 20 million Americans who suffer from kidney and urologic diseases.