2026 Program to Offer Updated Guidelines for NABC Recycled Rides® Projects, Collision Repair Professional Ambassador Opportunities and NABC® Member Scholarships for Qualifying Schools
PORT CHARLOTTE, FL (October 30, 2025) – The National Auto Body Council announced today a major relaunch for the NABC Recycled Rides for Schools program, which has provided technical and trade students with hands-on repair experience and the pride of giving back to those in need in their community.
As schools navigated shut-downs during COVID and changing repair standards and insurance requirements as they re-opened, NABC worked closely with its vehicle donors – primarily the insurance carriers – and its collision repair partners to reshape the program for the future.
Today, NABC® re-introduced the NABC Recycled Rides® for Schools program with renewed support from insurance partners including GEICO and Allstate to donate cars, NABC® collision repair professionals ready to serve as ambassadors for local programs and students, program resources on repair processes and standards through I-CAR and the Collision Engineering Career Advice Program, and a new scholarship for qualifying post-secondary schools to cover their NABC® membership.
The scholarship – the Norton Repair Knowledge Scholarship – provides $100 to qualifying post-secondary schools to cover their NABC membership. Sponsored by Norton/St. Gobain, the scholarship fund also helps cover costs of vehicle towing, inspections and other fees.
“We are excited to re-energize the NABC Recycled Rides® for Schools program with our school partners,” said Steve Fardelos, chair of the NABC Recycled Rides® for Schools program and Regional Sales Manager, West for Norton|Saint-Gobain Automotive Aftermarket. “Being able to provide opportunities to post-secondary students to learn hands-on collision repair from start to finish under the tutelage of their instructor and the guidance of a local collision repair professional is invaluable. Along the way, they help in the selection of vehicle recipients and learn the heartwarming inspiration of helping others. We are very grateful to Allstate and GEICO for stepping up their involvement in this program and helping us engage the next generation of collision repair professionals.”
Collision repair program instructors interested in learning more can visit https://nationalautobodycouncil.org/nabc-recycled-rides-for-schools/. Those interested in applying for the Norton Repair Knowledge Scholarship can complete the qualifications questionnaire here: https://nationalautobodycouncil.org/nabc-recycled-rides-for-schools/questionnaire/.
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 training opportunities for some 6,000 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.