Presentation of the NABC Recycled Ride® Changing a Southern California Veteran’s Life Took Place July 21 Thanks to GEICO, Fix Auto Fontana and the NABC Recycled Rides® Program
MEDIA NOTE: Photos from the NABC Recycled Rides® presentation are available HERE
PORT CHARLOTTE, FL (July 22, 2026) – On Tuesday, July 21, a veteran of the California Army National Guard received a life changing gift—the donation of a beautifully refurbished vehicle to help him take care of his mother and make much needed medical appointments for himself. The donation was made possible by the NABC Recycled Rides® program, vehicle donor GEICO and repair partner Fix Auto Fontana, part of the Driven Brands family of automotive brands.
The presentation took place at Fix Auto in Fontana, CA. The recipient was nominated by Palisades Dolphin Strong. Palisades Dolphin Strong is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2025 by Palisades High School alumni to aid the community recovery of Pacific Palisades, CA, following devastating wildfires. The organization hosts cultural events, grassroots meetings, and benefit concerts to reunify the community and provide financial grants to families and local businesses impacted by the fires.
A 2020 Kia Sportage LX, donated by GEICO and refurbished by the technicians at Fix Auto Fontana, was presented to Julius Temple.
“For me, being able to take care of my mom is what’s the most important part of receiving this vehicle from the NABC Recycled Rides® program thanks to GEICO and Fix Auto,” said the recipient Julius Temple. “She lives with me and being able to do simple things like going to the grocery store, to buy food, pick up medication for her is what it’s all about.”
He joined the Army Reserve in 2008 but in his first month of duty he was injured in a freak accident at the military gym. It has been a hard road through treatment and recovery. Temple’s shoulder injury required surgeries and rehabilitation and has left him unable to work for quite some time. Before the military he was a professional driver. His injury has made driving long distances impossible and he will never be a professional driver again, but a reliable vehicle will allow him to return to work and make his way toward more positive circumstances. As he and his mother, who is now his dependent, were trying to repair their lives, tragically in 2022, his vehicle was totaled by a hit and run driver. The veteran’s administration is paying him VA benefits and recently started awarding him medical benefits to help him repair his shoulder, but he does not have a vehicle to get to the treatments. Despite this, Temples remains positive and is optimistic with what life has to offer. This refurbished vehicle from the NABC Recycled Rides® program will not only allow him to drive to his appointments for treatment and recovery, but also allow him to take care of his mother, who is his top priority.
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: Kia Car Pros of Moreno Valley, Pro-Dent Painless Dent Removal, iTech Automotive, iPart, Showcase Auto Glass, All Pro Auto Glass, K&P, Enterprise, Copart, Advanced Remarketing Services and Cars for Charity.
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®.
Fix Auto USA is part of the Driven Brands family of automotive brands, and Fix Auto Turlock 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.