Ohio is about as close to being pure America as you can get, and Columbus is a particularly nice slice of it, not to mention being the state capital. From a terrific zoo and art museum, to Ohio State University (GO BUCKEYES!), this city has so much going for it you would be bored by the time I got through the whole list. Suffice it to say, I'm not the only one singing its praises: in 2009 Business Week named Columbus as the number one place in the United States to raise a family. How about them credentials?

While Columbus is fantastic, like most other US cities, it has seen its share of the recession, and there are no shortage of people just barely scraping by. The good news is that there are dozens of excellent chairities doing good work, helped by the generous people of Columbus. You can join those proud ranks by giving your car to any one of the charities listed below. All are recognized as having 503(c)(3) status by the IRS, so your deduction is tax deductible. These charities have also all been rated by Charity Navigator, and the star notations shown below show what they earned according to that website.



3 Stars
The Columbus Foundation
1234 East Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio 43205-1453
614/251-4000
http://columbusfoundation.org/giving/become-a-donor/what-to-give/
Created in 1943, this organization has had more than 1,800 residents donate to create funds that are each designed to do specific things, from funding a "safety net" project to keep Columbus poor staying off the street and in their homes, to business startup and educational initiatives. They accept vehicles and many other kinds of property, including real estate and securities.


Columbus Academy
4300 Cherry Bottom Road, Gahanna, Ohio 43230
(614) 475-2311
http://www.columbusacademy.org/gifts/default.aspx
This first-rate co-ed Pre-Kindergarten to 12th grade school accepts gifts in kind. Your car would probably have to be in good running condition for this school to accept it as a donation, but if your vehicle is in good working order, you will probably be able to get a significantly higher tax deduction for it. That's because the Academy might well use your car, instead of just selling it, and under IRS law that means you would be eligible to deduct the fair market value of the car, or, roughly, its Kelly Blue Book value, instead of the $300-500 deduction you'd get if your car was donated to a charity that just sold it at auction.


Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana
2545 Farmers Drive, Suite 300, Columbus, Ohio 43235
(614) 923-0555 or toll free (877) 206-WISH
Make a Wish enables mostly children but also some adults to fulfill a life long wish. Recipients typically have a life-threatening disease that makes it nearly impossible for them to achieve their dream alone, so Make a Wish gathers the funds and the people and the skills to bring those dreams into reality. The Columbus chapter accepts in kind gifts, which would include vehicles or any other tangible property you'd like to use to support them. Call and ask about giving them your car. It would have to be in running condition.


American Lung Association of the Midland States
1950 Arlingate Lane, Columbus, OH, 43228-4102
(614) 279-1700 administration | 1-800-LUNG USA, option#3 to donate
http://www.lungusa.org/associations/charters/midland-states/ways-to-donate/vehicle-donation.html

The American Lung Association takes any vehicle that has a working engine. If your vehicle also happens to have a trailer, it needs to have working (read inflated) tires to be accepted. The AMA does quite a few vehicle donations every year, so they can offer you free towing within about 72 hours of your call, and they will handle all the paperwork associated with your donation.