When you donate a car in Wilkes-Barre through Coal Valley Charity Cars, we come to you. Whether you’re in downtown Wilkes-Barre, Parsons, Miners Mills, Heights, or over in Kingston, Plains, or Hanover Township, your vehicle is picked up by a local tow truck at no cost to you. You don’t pay a tow fee, a paperwork fee, or anything later—the cost of towing is covered from the charity’s sale proceeds and is never billed back.
Here’s how it works in the Scranton–Wilkes-Barre area: you call us or submit the online form, we confirm some details about your car and your title, and then we schedule a pickup window that works for you. On pickup day, a local flatbed or hook-and-chain operator comes right to your driveway, street spot, or lot—running or not. You can leave the signed title and keys in a safe agreed place if you can’t be home. Most pickups around Wilkes-Barre, Nanticoke, Pittston, and nearby communities happen within a few business days, with very rural addresses sometimes taking a bit longer depending on routing.
How to schedule your free local pickup
1. Tell us about your car and location
Start by calling Coal Valley Charity Cars or filling out our quick online form with your Wilkes-Barre–area address and basic vehicle info. We’ll ask where the car is parked (driveway in Parsons, street spot in downtown, lot in Kingston, etc.) and confirm that you have the title. This lets us match you with a local towing partner and estimate pickup timing in your specific part of the valley.
2. Confirm your free pickup window
We’ll call you to go over your details, answer questions, and set a pickup window that works for your schedule. In most of Wilkes-Barre, Hanover Township, Plains, and nearby towns, we can usually arrange a tow within a few business days. If you’re farther out toward Mountain Top or more rural Luzerne County, we’ll work around local truck routes to get you the earliest available slot.
3. Prepare the title, keys, and vehicle location
Before pickup day, remove personal items and any toll tags, and locate your Pennsylvania title. We’ll explain exactly how to sign it. You can leave the signed title and keys in a secure spot you tell us about, or hand them to the driver. Just make sure the vehicle is accessible for a flatbed or standard tow truck—no blocked driveways, low-hanging branches, or locked gates.
4. Meet the tow truck (or skip it if you’re busy)
A local towing partner arrives in your chosen pickup window with a flatbed or hook-and-chain truck. If you’re home, they’ll do a quick handoff and load the car. If you can’t be there, they’ll follow the instructions you gave us for keys, title, and exact vehicle location. Either way, you pay $0 for the tow—there’s no charge at pickup and no bill later.
5. We handle the rest and send your tax receipt
After pickup, Coal Valley Charity Cars processes your donation and arranges sale of the vehicle to benefit Heritage for the Blind, a 501(c)(3) supporting people who are blind or visually impaired. Once the car is sold, we mail you a tax receipt. For most vehicles you’ll receive a receipt for at least $500; if the sale amount is over $500, we provide the IRS Form 1098-C details needed for your records.
Local pickup gotchas
Tight Wilkes-Barre streets and flatbed access
Tip: Some streets in downtown Wilkes-Barre, older neighborhoods, or row-house blocks can be tight for a flatbed. If parking is crowded or your street is one-way or narrow, let us know in advance. We’ll work with the towing company to choose the best truck type and pickup angle, or coordinate a nearby corner or lot where the vehicle can be safely loaded without blocking traffic.
Gates, garages, and private lots
Tip: If your car is in a gated community, parking garage, or private lot (common in complexes around South Wilkes-Barre, Kingston, or Plains), the driver needs access. Provide gate codes, management contacts, or garage instructions when you schedule. Make sure any required parking passes are visible. Clear access on pickup day prevents delays or rescheduled trips, especially when property managers or HOAs are involved.
Very rural addresses and routing time
Tip: If you’re outside the denser Scranton–Wilkes-Barre area—toward Mountain Top, Shickshinny, or more rural Luzerne County—pickup can take a bit longer. Tow trucks group rural jobs to keep costs down for the charity. Plan on a few extra business days, and let us know if the car is off a main road, on a steep driveway, or down a long lane so we can send the right truck.
Title issues or missing paperwork
Tip: Pennsylvania requires a properly assigned title for donation in most cases. If your title is lost, in a maiden name, or has an old lien listed, mention this when you contact us. We can explain general options for resolving it with PennDOT before scheduling pickup. Having the paperwork ready keeps your donation smooth and avoids last-minute cancellations at the curb.
If at-home pickup is tricky
If at-home pickup is tricky for your situation—maybe you’re moving, your HOA is strict, or your street in downtown Wilkes-Barre is hard for a flatbed to navigate—talk to us about alternatives. In some cases, our towing partners can meet you in a nearby open lot, workplace parking area, or a more accessible side street in places like Kingston, Plains, or Nanticoke. You still pay $0 for the tow, and the donation process is the same. We’ll help you pick a realistic meeting spot that works safely for both you and the driver.
Wilkes-Barre pickup coverage
Coal Valley Charity Cars serves the entire Scranton–Wilkes-Barre corridor and beyond: Wilkes-Barre proper, South Wilkes-Barre, Parsons, Miners Mills, Heights, Kingston, Edwardsville, Nanticoke, Pittston, Wyoming, and out into Mountain Top and rural Luzerne County. Denser neighborhoods often see quicker scheduling, while remote properties may require a bit more routing time. For Pennsylvania donors, you’ll typically sign the PA title to transfer ownership and remove your plates before the car leaves; plates generally stay with you, not the vehicle. We’ll go over these basic PA steps so your donation is clean and complete.