Rides for Pride makes car donation easy across the entire Memphis Metro. Whether you’re in Midtown near Overton Square, out by Cordova or Germantown, or over in Whitehaven, we come to you. Your pickup is genuinely free — $0 out of pocket. A local tow partner brings a flatbed or hook-and-chain truck, loads your vehicle where it sits, and takes it away for sale to support Heritage for the Blind, a 501(c)(3) helping people who are blind or visually impaired.
Here’s how it works in Memphis: you call us or fill out the online form, we confirm a day and pickup window that fits your schedule, and you simply leave the signed title and keys with the vehicle. Running or not, wrecked or old, we’ll still come. In most Memphis-area neighborhoods — Downtown, Cooper-Young, East Memphis, Bartlett, and nearby suburbs — our local towing partners can usually get to you within a few business days, depending on routing and how easy your street is to access. We cover both dense city blocks and more rural addresses outside the core metro.
How to schedule your free local pickup
1. Tell us about your car and Memphis location
Call Rides for Pride or submit the online form with your contact info, vehicle details, and exact pickup address in the Memphis Metro. Let us know if it runs, where it’s parked (driveway, street, apartment lot), and any access issues. This helps us assign the right local tow partner and the right truck—often a flatbed—for your neighborhood and vehicle condition.
2. Choose a pickup day and time window
Our team works with you to select a pickup day and time window that fits your schedule. For most Memphis neighborhoods like Midtown, East Memphis, and Southaven-area addresses, we can usually arrange pickup within a few business days. More rural locations outside the core metro may take slightly longer while we coordinate routing with our towing partners.
3. Prepare the title, keys, and vehicle location
Before pickup, remove personal items from the car. Have your Tennessee title signed according to state rules and place it with the keys somewhere secure in or on the vehicle, following our instructions. Make sure the tow truck can reach the car—clear space in your driveway or confirm your street or parking lot can handle a flatbed or standard tow truck’s access and turning radius.
4. Day of pickup: no payment, no hassle
On pickup day, a local Memphis-area towing partner arrives within the agreed window. There is no fee and no surprise charges—ever. The cost of towing is covered by sale proceeds and never billed back to you. You don’t need to pay, negotiate, or sign anything with the driver beyond any basic tow slip they require for their records.
5. You don’t have to be home if we have access
If we’ve already arranged where to find the title and keys and the car is accessible, you usually don’t need to be home. The driver will load the vehicle from your driveway, street spot, or apartment lot, then leave as arranged. If your property has gates, garages, or special instructions, just share them ahead of time so pickup can happen smoothly without you present.
6. Receive your IRS-compliant tax receipt by mail
After the car is picked up and sold, Rides for Pride mails you a tax receipt. Many donors receive a $500 or higher receipt; if the sale value is over $500, IRS Form 1098-C will be issued. Keep this with your records for tax time and consult your own tax professional for how to claim any deduction under current IRS rules.
Local pickup gotchas
Tight Midtown or Downtown Memphis streets and alleys
Tip: In areas like Cooper-Young, South Main, and Downtown, narrow streets, alleys, and dense parking can slow pickup. If possible, park the vehicle where a flatbed can easily reach it—like a main street, driveway, or open lot—and tell us about one-way streets, low clearances, or loading zones in advance.
Gates, parking garages, and HOA or apartment rules
Tip: In gated communities around Cordova, Germantown, or Collierville, and in Downtown parking garages or apartment complexes, drivers often need codes, gate remotes, or permission from management. Share any codes or contact details ahead of time and confirm your HOA or property manager allows towing so the driver isn’t turned away at the entrance.
Very rural or outlying Tennessee addresses
Tip: If you’re outside the core Memphis Metro—farther out past Millington, Arlington, or into rural areas of West Tennessee—pickup may take a bit longer as we work around limited tow routes. Be flexible with your pickup window and provide clear directions or landmarks so our towing partner can find the vehicle without delays.
Blocked-in cars or low/flat tires with no access
Tip: Cars boxed in by other vehicles, locked garages, or completely flat tires can slow loading. Before pickup, move other cars if you can, unlock any gates or garages, and let us know about flat tires or missing wheels. Our Memphis tow partners can often still load the car, but they need to plan for the right equipment.
If at-home pickup is tricky
If at-home pickup is tricky for your situation—maybe your HOA is strict, your Downtown garage has height limits, or the vehicle is stored on a friend’s property—Rides for Pride can usually work out another local option. In some cases, our towing partner may arrange a nearby meeting point in a more accessible lot, such as a surface lot in East Memphis or a wide street in Bartlett. We’ll talk through what’s realistic for your neighborhood, your schedule, and the tow truck’s access so your donation can still move forward smoothly.
Memphis pickup coverage
Rides for Pride serves the full Memphis Metro, including Downtown, Midtown, East Memphis, Whitehaven, Frayser, Raleigh, Bartlett, Cordova, Germantown, Collierville, Millington, and many nearby Tennessee communities. In-city pickups are often a bit quicker because tow trucks are already running routes near main corridors like Poplar, Lamar, and I-40. Rural addresses outside the metro may take a little longer to schedule. For Tennessee donations, you’ll generally sign your TN title over to the charity; in many cases you remove your license plates and return or transfer them according to Tennessee Department of Revenue guidelines. Always double-check current state rules or ask the county clerk if you’re unsure.