The Urban League of Greater Kansas City and Partners Gift Car to Needy Family
CHARLOTTE (January 19, 2023) — Recently, a Kansas City mother and her special-needs child received a life-changing gift – the presentation of reliable transportation to help her care for her family, travel to medical appointments and get to work. This is all thanks to GEICO, CARSTAR Metcalf, Meineke Car Care and Premiere Services through the National Auto Body Council Recycled Rides® program.
The recipient, Tyisha Russell, was selected by the Urban League of Greater Kansas City. Russell is a single mother to four children – Alliyah (age 15), Alaysia, (age 7), Josiah, (age 4), and Jeremiah (2). Alliyah remains severely injured after a car accident in 2020 shattered her spinal cord, and Josiah has had a dislocated collarbone since birth. The injuries keep Russell on the road often between doctors’ appointments and getting the children back and forth from their schools.
“I had very unreliable transportation before and I recently had to let a job go because of my car issues,” said Russell. “I am still in shock that this car is mine. I also feel super excited and blessed because I really need this for me and my babies.”
Russell and her family also received a trunk load of groceries donated by the Urban League of Greater Kansas City.
“We’re honored to present Tyisha and her family with this new vehicle and very thankful to GEICO, CARSTAR Metcalf, Meineke and Premiere Services for making it possible,” said Doug Schlueter, committee co-chair for NABC Recycled Rides. “As a resident of Kansas City, I’m particularly proud to see my hometown come together to give back to someone in our community and help them on their journey to independence.”
The vehicle was donated by GEICO, and repairs were made by CARSTAR Metcalf and Meineke Car Care, with four brand new tires donated by Premiere Services.
“Premiere Services is fortunate to have received more than 30 years of support from our peers in the auto repair and insurance industries, and we are grateful for the ability to give back,” said Premiere Services COO Chris Sestito. “Part of our brand promise is ‘Restoring your peace of mind’, so we are thankful that NABC Recycled Rides® has allowed us to help provide peace of mind to this deserving mother and her children by inviting us to be part of its wonderful program.”
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 3,000 vehicles valued at some $42 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 3,000 vehicles, provided extrication opportunities for over 5,000 First Responders and is helping educate students and adult drivers in communities around the country through NABC Recycled Rides®, NABC First Responder Emergency Extrication (F.R.E.E.™) and the NABC® Drive Out Distraction program. That effort equates to a 4:1 ROI in dollar value delivered from NABC® membership dollars. The National Auto Body Council® is changing the paradigm of how the collision industry works and is viewed. For more information, visit www.NationalautoBodyCouncil.org.
