Donate Your Used Car in Chico to Someone in Need

Sometimes trying to sell your used car on your own can be a hassle. You have to meet with one buyer after another, give them the ‘shpiel’ and make sure that all the paperwork is filed. There is an easier alternative that will benefit a whole circle of people, with hardly any work on your part. Donate your used car to a local charity and everyone wins!

The phonebook for Chico, CA, lists two places where you can ‘recycle’ your used car. The ARC of Butte County accepts used car donations at 2030 Park Avenue, the location of the ARC thrift store. Monday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., you can bring by your old car. They require that the car be in running condition and that it is currently registered at the time of drop-off. Ask for Brenda Easter or Shelley Sullivan before you go. They will accept the donation and ask you to fill out some brief paperwork, which only takes about five minutes to complete.

California’s emissions test, or smog, is done on many cars before they are bought and sold, however, the ARC does not require that the car be smogged beforehand. Brenda said that potential buyers are told everything about the car before any transaction takes place. The car is sold ‘as is’ and any buyer is well aware of the condition of the car.

Once the car is sold, ARC has 30 days to provide a tax packet to the donator. This packet will have the amount of sale of the car, which reflects the dollar amount used in a tax write-off.

Donating a car to the ARC of Butte County is equal to giving a gift to a large group of people. The ARC’s services provide support for people living with disabilities. They have been devoted to helping families since 1954 with programs like the Adult Day Program, Recreational Therapy, Independent Living Skills, and a number of support groups for parents and siblings of the developmentally disabled. The sale of your used car generates a profit that is invested back into the organization to fund these kinds of programs. It also provides an inexpensive alternative for those in need of a vehicle.

To find out more information, you can call Brenda or Shelley at 530-343-3666.

Another alternative to the ARC is the well-known Salvation Army. Several stores are sprinkled about the town of Chico, and you can find answers about donating at any one of them, particularly the store located at 700 Broadway. But for used car donations, they prefer that you bring the car to 13404 Browns Valley Road in Chico. Dave Gay can help you process your donation, any time between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Salvation Army asks that your car be in running condition upon delivery. Also, unlike the requirements of ARC, your used car is required to have been smogged within the last six months at the time of drop-off. You may call the Salvation Army dispatch for more information at 530-342-2087.