Wheels For Wishes
| Formation | 2009 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Bill Bigley Randy Heiligman |
| Legal status | 501(c)(3) organization |
| Purpose | Car donation |
| Headquarters | St. Louis Park, Minnesota |
| Website | https://wheelsforwishes.org/ |
The Car Donation Foundation, doing business as Wheels For Wishes, is a nonprofit car donation organization based in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. The organization donates its proceeds to charitable organizations including the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Vehicles For Veterans, and Animal Car Donation.
Overview
Wheels for Wishes is the trade name of Car Donation Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that financially supports charitable organizations through motor vehicle donations.[1][2] It accepts donations of cars, boats, motorcycles, RVs and other vehicles.[3] Proceeds from the sale of vehicles are donated to nonprofit organizations including the Make-A-Wish Foundation,[4][5] Vehicles For Veterans, which benefits veterans living with disabilities and homeless veterans,[6] and Animal Car Donation, which benefits animal rescues.[7]
History
Wheels For Wishes was founded in 2009 by Bill Bigley and Randy Heiligman.[1] It is headquartered in St. Louis Park, Minnesota.[8] As of 2015, it was the largest auto donation charity in the United States.[9]
A 2014 report published by the Office of the Minnesota Attorney General found that 20% of the organization's proceeds were donated to its partner Make-A-Wish chapters and 30% was spent on advertising.[9][10] After the initial report, the organization was criticized for misleading advertising,[11] and the Minnesota and Connecticut chapters of Make-a-Wish Foundation ended their relationship with Wheels for Wishes.[12][13] They subsequently renewed their contracts with Wheels For Wishes.[14] A 2017 article in The Orange County Register reported that 51% of proceeds went to charity.[15] The remaining proceeds are spent on administrative costs including advertising, towing, and auction house fees.[16]
As of 2024, it had donated $114 million to Make-A-Wish, accounting for 13,672 wishes.[17]
In 2024, the organization partnered with the rock band Green Day to raise money through a sweepstakes that awarded the 1968 Mercury Monterey convertible featured in the music videos for "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" and "Holiday".[18]
References
- ^ a b "CAR DONATION FOUNDATION - GuideStar Profile". www.guidestar.org. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
- ^ "CAR DONATION FOUNDATION nonprofit in St Paul, MN | Volunteer, Read Reviews, Donate | GreatNonprofits". greatnonprofits.org. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
- ^ Nay, Brittany (2021-09-13). "Cleaning house? Here are 14 charities to donate your items in the St. Louis area". Ladue News. Retrieved 2025-06-03.
- ^ "Minnesota AG says charity has misled vehicle donors in state, elsewhere". Star Tribune. 15 October 2015.
- ^ Kaufman, Gil (2024-09-04). "Green Day Giving Away Custom 'Holiday' Video Convertible In Wheels For Wishes Sweepstakes". Billboard. Retrieved 2025-06-03.
- ^ "These 11 charities in Fort Worth will pick up your donations from home - CultureMap Fort Worth". dallas.culturemap.com. Retrieved 2025-06-03.
- ^ "Animal Car Donation Reaches $175 Million in Lifetime Donations to Charity". animalcardonation. Retrieved 2025-06-03.
- ^ "Are you donating a car to charity? Proceed with caution". 23 January 2017.
- ^ a b Morran, Chris (14 October 2015). "Report: "Wheels For Wishes" Charity Misled Donors About Make-A-Wish Donations". Consumerist. Archived from the original on 2015-10-16.
- ^ "AG: Car donation charity used Make-A-Wish name, kept 80 percent". KMSP.
- ^ "'Wheels for Wishes' misleads donors". mndaily.com - The Minnesota Daily.
- ^ "Make-A-Wish Minnesota Cuts Ties With Car Donation Charity". AM 1240 WJON. 20 October 2015.
- ^ LENDER, JON (18 October 2015). "Connecticut Make-A-Wish Breaks With Car-Donation Charity Criticized For High Overhead". courant.com.
- ^ Foundation, Car Donation. "Car Donation Charity List - Find Your Local Charity". Wheels For Wishes. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
- ^ SFORZA, TERI. "Are you donating a car to charity? Proceed with caution". The Orange County Register. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
- ^ "What happens to cars that are donated to charities?". KALW. Retrieved 2025-06-03.
- ^ Kaufman, Gil (2024-09-04). "Green Day Giving Away Custom 'Holiday' Video Convertible In Wheels For Wishes Sweepstakes". Billboard. Retrieved 2025-06-05.
- ^ Irshad, Zara (September 4, 2024). "Need a new car? Here's how to win Green Day's 'Boulevard of Broken Dreams' convertible". San Francisco Chronicle.