Presentation of the NABC Recycled Ride® Took Place March 21 at the AASP Northeast Trade Show at the Meadowlands Expo Center
MEDIA NOTE: Photos from the NABC Recycled Rides® presentation are available HERE
PORT CHARLOTTE, FL (March 23, 2026) – On Saturday, March 21, a New Jersey veteran in need received a life changing gift — a beautifully refurbished vehicle as he continues on the path to self-reliance. The donation was made possible by the NABC Recycled Rides® program, vehicle donor GEICO and repair partner Branning Collision Centers.
The presentation took place at the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers (AASP) at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, NJ. The AASP Northeast Automotive Services Show is a three-day trade event tailored specifically to fit the needs of today’s professionals representing all walks of the automotive repair industry.
The recipient was nominated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affair. The VA offers benefits that can help veterans buy, retain, or modify a home; earn a degree; start a career; stay healthy; and do much more in life after the military.
“This is our 10th NABC Recycled Rides® giveaway and we are so excited to be here and partner with the National Auto Body Council and give this vehicle to a deserving individual,” said Kim Branning of Branning Collision Centers.
A 2019 KIA Sportage LX, donated by GEICO and refurbished by the technicians at Branning Collision Centers, was presented to Luis Gutierrez. Luisserved as a Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps from 2009-2013. He has been using his current vehicle as his home for close to one year. During that year, Luis was referred to HUD VASH and was able to find more permanent housing. While living in his vehicle, Luis worked for an online food ordering and delivery service to pay for his auto insurance and other bills. His vehicle has over 155,000 miles on it, is unreliable and requires constant repair. This refurbished vehicle from the NABC Recycled Rides® program will allow Luis to commute to work daily and continue his path to self-reliance.
“Thank you so much to everybody involved in this, I really don’t know what to say,” said recipient Luis Gutierrez. “This vehicle is absolutely amazing. It’s clean, it’s beautiful. It’s really more than I could ever imagine.”
GEICO, a Level One partner of the National Auto Body Council®, has donated more than 1,000 vehicles to people and organizations through NABC Recycled Rides®, making it the largest car donor partner of NABC Recycled Rides®.
Branning Collision Centers, an I-CAR Gold Class network, has been family-owned and operated for over 40 years. They are committed to quality workmanship and serve all insurance companies and direct repair partners for most insurance carriers.
Additional partners in this presentation include: Tire Socks supplied by ISSE North America, Nu Car Wholesale Parts, BC Tire Service, AIV Auto LLC, Enterprise, Copart, Advanced Remarketing Services and Cars for Charity
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 and provided extrication opportunities for some 6,000 First Responders in communities around the country through NABC Recycled Rides® and NABC First Responder Emergency Extrication (F.R.E.E.™). That effort equates to a 4:1 ROI in dollar value delivered from NABC® membership dollars.
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. For more information, visit www.NationalautoBodyCouncil.org.