Helping Make Communities and Their Residents Stronger: NABC® Joined GEICO and Gerber Collision & Glass to Gift Refurbished Vehicle to Mother in Need Through the NABC Recycled Rides® Program in Conjunction with the Urban League of Louisiana

PORT CHARLOTTE, FL (May 19, 2024) – On Saturday, May 18, a single mother from Louisiana experienced a life-changing event – the presentation of  a vehicle to provide her independence and the ability to support her family – thanks to the National Auto Body Council Recycled Rides® program along with car donor GEICO and collision repair partner Gerber Collision &  Glass. This took place as part of the Urban League Empowerment & Policy Conference Listen and Learn tour, which was held at the Lake Charles office of the Honorable Wilford Carter, Sr., who serves District 34 in the Louisiana House of Representatives.

GEICO, which donated the vehicle, and Gerber Collision & Glass in Sulfur, LA, whose technicians fully refurbished the vehicle, were on hand to help present the vehicle, along with Judy Reese Morse, CEO of the Urban League of Louisiana and her team. Representative Carter also joined the event to present the vehicle.

The recipient, Shajuanna Anderson, is a single mother to a 16-year-old son and family breadwinner. She was nominated by the Urban League of Louisianna and the event was held in conjunction with the Urban League Empowerment & Policy Conference Listen and Learn tour.

Anderson received a 2017 Hyundai Sonata, and was moved to tears at the unveiling. With her son and sister at her side, she accepted the keys to her new ride from GEICO, Gerber Collision & Glass and the Urban League. Shajuanna is 45 years old and lifelong resident of Calcasieu Parish. She was raised by a single mother, has four siblings, and one 16-year-old son. Shajuanna completed high school but did not attend college after graduation. At the age of 38, Shajuanna decided to pursue a career in the healthcare sector. She earned an associate degree for Medical Billing and Coding from Ultimate Medical Academy in Tampa, Florida. She is the first in her family to go to college and earn a degree. She is currently employed with Diversified Healthcare Center. She owns a 2013 Hyundai Sonata that is paid for; however, the vehicle is inoperable. The car is leaking oil and can no longer be driven. The gift of reliable transportation will provide her independence, allow her to safely get to work and care for her family.

“This is totally a gift from God and I can’t believe this is really happening,” said Anderson. “This will make such a difference in our lives. I’m so grateful to everyone who made this possible.”

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 3,300 vehicles valued at some $47 million.

Additional partners in the NABC Recycled Rides® presentation include Cars for Charity, Advanced Remarketing Services, Copart and Enterprise.

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 3,300 vehicles and provided extrication opportunities for some 5,500 First Responders in communities around the country through NABC Recycled Rides®, NABC First Responder Emergency Extrication (F.R.E.E.™) and the NABC® Community Impact program. 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.