Presentation of the NABC Recycled Ride® to Change Veteran’s Life was September 17, 2025, in Houston
MEDIA NOTE: Photos and Video from the NABC Recycled Rides® presentation are available HERE
PORT CHARLOTTE, FL (September 17, 2025) – On Wednesday, September 17, a United States Air Force veteran received a life-changing gift—the donation of a beautifully refurbished vehicle to help them as they care for an ailing mother. The donation was made possible by the NABC Recycled Rides® program, vehicle donor USAA and repair partner Gerber Collision & Glass.
The vehicle, a 2023 Toyota Tundra, was generously donated by USAA and beautifully refurbished by the technicians of Gerber Collision & Glass. The presentation took place at the opening of the new Gerber Collision & Glass location in Houston.
Laura McFarlane is a veteran of the United States Air Force, having served a long career in the service of her country from 2002-2017. She shares an apartment with her elderly mother who is battling cancer and is her primary caregiver, while also working full-time at a local retailer. She holds degrees in marketing and public relations but has not been able to find any of those higher paying jobs. McFarlane’s current vehicle has approximately 228,000 miles on it and is beyond repair. A refurbished vehicle from the NABC Recycled Rides® program would not only alleviate some of her daily stresses, but it will also ensure that she is able to travel to work and get her ailing mother to her doctor’s appointments.
“Thank you to NABC Recycled Rides® for this amazing vehicle that ensures I have reliable transportation for work and commuting my mother to her doctor’s appointments,” said McFarlane. “Thank you to USAA, Gerber Collision, and Erik, John, Steve and Caroline from the local charity that nominated me and for thinking of me.”
USAA, a Level One partner of the National Auto Body Council®, has donated more than 150 vehicles to people and organizations through NABC Recycled Rides. Founded in 1922 by a group of military officers, USAA is among the leading providers of insurance, banking and retirement solutions and serves 14 million members of the U.S. military, veterans who have honorably served and their families. Each year, the company contributes to national and local nonprofits in support of military families and communities where employees live and work.
Gerber Collision & Glass, a Level One member of the NABC®, was founded in 1937 as a single glass and trim shop and has grown to be one of the largest auto collision and glass repair companies in North America. Gerber Collision & Glass locations are all I-CAR Gold Certified repair facilities.
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 3,500 vehicles valued at some $51 million.
Additional partners in this presentation include: Fred Haas Toyota, The Final Touch Pinstriping & Graphics, AutoZone, Dent Sharks, Mobile Auto Solutions, City Wide Glass, Flatbed Towing, West Way Toying, Gold Team Interiors, PPG, Discount Tire, Complete Collisions, Copart, Advanced Remarketing Services, Cars for Charity
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 3,500 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.