You can start and complete your Louisiana car donation today with Bayou Rides Exchange. If you contact us Monday–Saturday and you’re in or near a major metro area like New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Shreveport, Lake Charles, or Metairie before noon, we can usually schedule a same-day pickup. Otherwise, we aim for the next business day. Your car doesn’t need to run, and your pickup is always free.
Getting started takes about two minutes. Call our live Heritage for the Blind donation coordinator or fill out the short online form. We’ll confirm your vehicle’s year, make, model, condition, and exact location—from Mid-City New Orleans to Prairieville, Bossier City, Houma, or any parish in between—and lock in your pickup window. A licensed tow partner brings a standard truck or flatbed for non‑running vehicles, you hand over the signed title and keys, and your driveway is clear. After the vehicle sells, Heritage for the Blind mails you a written tax receipt, typically within 30 days, meeting IRS Form 1098‑C requirements for donations valued over $500.
Your complete donation timeline
Start your donation in 2 minutes
2 minutesCall Bayou Rides Exchange to reach a live Heritage for the Blind coordinator or complete the quick online form. Share your contact info, vehicle year, make, model, and where it’s parked—whether that’s Gentilly in New Orleans, Old Jefferson, or West Shreveport.
Confirm details and schedule pickup
5-10 minutesMonday–Saturday, a coordinator reviews your vehicle condition and exact Louisiana location, answers any questions, and offers the earliest pickup window. In most metro areas, weekday calls before noon can be scheduled for same-day towing; otherwise, next business day.
Tow truck arrives and your driveway is cleared
15-30 minutes on pickup dayA professional towing partner arrives during your confirmed window anywhere in Louisiana—from Kenner to Slidell, Alexandria, or Monroe. They load your car (flatbed for non‑running vehicles), have you sign the title, collect the keys, and give you a basic pickup receipt for your records.
Vehicle sale and tax paperwork processing
Up to 30 daysHeritage for the Blind handles the sale of your donated car, truck, SUV, or van. Once it sells, they determine the gross proceeds and prepare your written acknowledgement. No follow‑up legwork is needed from you once the vehicle has been picked up in Louisiana.
Receive your IRS‑ready tax receipt
Typically within 30 days of saleYour official tax receipt is mailed to the address you provided, usually within 30 days after the sale. This written acknowledgement satisfies IRS Form 1098‑C requirements for donations over $500, so you can confidently claim your charitable deduction at tax time.
Why the process is genuinely fast
Same-day pickup in most Louisiana metros
Call Monday–Friday before noon in or around New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Shreveport, Lake Charles, or similar metro areas, and we can usually arrange same-day pickup; other calls are scheduled for the next business day whenever possible.
2-minute start by phone or online
You don’t need paperwork in hand to begin. In about two minutes, we collect your basic contact and vehicle details and open your donation file so dispatch can work on the fastest available Louisiana pickup slot right away.
Monday–Saturday live dispatch
A live Heritage for the Blind coordinator is available six days a week to confirm details and coordinate the tow. That means your Friday afternoon call from Metairie or your Saturday morning form in Lake Charles can still turn into a near‑immediate pickup.
Non-running and damaged cars accepted
No need to pay for repairs or get your car running. We arrange a tow truck or flatbed at no cost, whether your vehicle is drivable, has a dead battery, flat tires, or is sitting in a driveway, carport, or lot anywhere in Louisiana.
No inspections or emissions tests needed
You can donate as‑is. We don’t require inspection stickers, emissions tests, or recent service records to schedule pickup. Once we verify ownership and basic condition, we move straight to arranging your free towing slot.