Presentation of the NABC Recycled Ride® Took Place July 28 at Fix Auto in Castro Valley, CA
MEDIA NOTE: Photos from the NABC Recycled Rides® presentation are available HERE
PORT CHARLOTTE, FL (July 30, 2026) – On Tuesday, July 28, a San Francisco Bay Area single mother received a life changing gift — the donation of a beautifully refurbished vehicle as she continues to care for her children and pursue her vocational opportunities. The donation was made possible by the NABC Recycled Rides® program, vehicle donor Allstate and repair partner Fix Auto Castro Valley, part of the Driven Brands family of automotive brands.
The presentation took place at the Fix Auto located in Castro Valley, CA. The recipient was nominated by Solano County Health & Social Services (HSS). They are an integrated agency in California that delivers public health, behavioral health, and safety-net social services.
A 2021 Honda Accord, donated by Allstate and refurbished by the technicians at Fix Auto of Castro Valley, CA, was presented to Christine Messano.
“The NABC Recycled Rides® program is great and I’ve encouraged numerous body shops to look into it and take part in this to give back to their communities,” said Arthur Mercado, owner of Fix Auto Castro Valley. “This community has given a lot to me and the very least I can do is to do something to give back to my community as well. This is going to be a springboard for Christine [Messano] to do many more things to progress her family forward.”
Messano isa single mother of two wonderful children who has faced overwhelming challenges with unshakable strength and determination. A true survivor, Messano found herself starting completely over—with no stable housing, no transportation, no financial support, and two young children. Rather than give up, she chose to fight for a better life. Messano fought just to stay in school, persevering to become a licensed Esthetician. She applied for numerous jobs and faced many rejections, but she stayed committed and was eventually hired at a Hospital Wellness Center. Transportation, however, has remained one of her biggest barriers, and she has spent many days walking or relying on public transportation to get to her job. With support, she has secured stable housing —housing she fought hard to obtain. Messano has carried the full financial, emotional, and logistical weight of raising her children completely on her own. What makes her story stand out is not just the hardship she’s endured, but the grace and grit with which she’s navigated it all. She continues to show up for her children, her job, and herself. This refurbished vehicle from the NABC Recycled Rides® program will not just ease a burden—it will be life-changing. It will allow Messano to safely care for her children, maintain her employment, and continue her journey forward with dignity and security.
“I want to send a heartfelt thanks to NABC, Fix Auto USA Castro Valley, Allstate, Cars for Charity, Driven Brands, everyone who had a hand in this incredible gift,” said recipient Christine Messano. “It really took a community of compassionate people to make this happen and we are forever grateful. The care, craftsmanship and generosity that went in to restoring this vehicle were evident in every detail. My children and I are overwhelmed with gratitude.”
Those in the community can support this life-changing program in two ways – donate to the program directly or donate their unwanted or non-running vehicle through the Changing and Saving Lives Keys for Change program. They will receive a tax donation for their contribution, and proceeds will help provide reliable transportation for those in need across the country – and in their community.
Additional partners in this presentation include: Castro Valley Rotary, Castro Valley Tire Pros, Castro Valley Car Show, A1 Locksmith, Techniques Auto Glass, Window Tints Plus, O’Reilly Auto Parts, San Leandro Honda; Advanced Remarketing Services, Cars for Charity, Copart, and Enterprise.
Allstate, a Level One partner of the National Auto Body Council®, has donated more than 300 vehicles to people and organizations through the NABC Recycled Rides® program, making it one of the largest vehicle donor partners of NABC Recycled Rides®.
Fix Auto Castro Valley is part of the Driven Brands family of automotive brands, and Fix Auto Castro Valley is an I-CAR Gold Certified repair facility.
NABC Recycled Rides® is a unique program in which businesses representing all facets of the collision repair industry team up to repair and donate vehicles to individuals and families in need of reliable transportation. Since the inception of the NABC Recycled Rides® program in 2007, members of the National Auto Body Council® have donated more than 3,750 vehicles valued at some $67 million.
About the National Auto Body Council®:
The National Auto Body Council® is the premier organization of collision industry partners dedicated to strategic networking opportunities that positively change lives in the communities we serve. The collaborative membership of the National Auto Body Council® has gifted more than 3,750 vehicles valued at more than $67 million and provided extrication opportunities for some 7,000 First Responders in communities around the country through NABC Recycled Rides® and NABC First Responder Emergency Extrication (F.R.E.E.™).
The NABC Changing and Saving Lives Foundation, a 501c3 organization, is committed to the goal of driving change for veterans, military members, first responders and families in need, while harnessing the power of the collective membership of the collision repair industry to positively impact communities where we live and work. As demand for NABC® programs like NABC Recycled Rides® and NABC F.R.E.E.™ grows, so do the needs for resources to manage these important programs. Being able to pursue grants, gifts and donations allows NABC to expand these programs to serve those in need and help communities where we live and work.
The Changing and Saving Lives Foundation Keys for Change program also helps drive funding for key programs. The easy, efficient donation process allows vehicle owners to turn their unwanted vehicles into life-changing support. All vehicle donations fund critical programs that provide support and assistance for families in need, military members, veterans and first responders. For more information, visit http://www.nationalautobodycouncil.org.