NABC® Gala Features Donations of Refurbished Cars to Three Worthy Orlando-Area Individuals

Insurance Company and Repair Shop Members Gifted the Cars on Thursday, February 29 at the NABC® Gala in Orlando

MEDIA NOTE: Photos and video from the NABC Recycled Rides® Presentation are available.

ORLANDO, FL (February 29, 2024) – Today, the lives of three deserving Orlando-area residents were changed with the presentation of a vehicle to provide each of them independence and the ability to work and take care of their families – thanks to the National Auto Body Council Recycled Rides® program and its member insurance companies, Allstate, GEICO  and Travelers, and repair shops Crash Champions, Caliber Collision and Classic Collision OBT West.

The presentation was held as part of the two-day NABC® Gala “Ignite the Night” Presented by Caliber at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort.  Each recipient was nominated by a local non-profit organization.

• Ashley Castorena spent five years in the U.S. Navy, serving meritoriously in Iraq and leaving the service honorably as an E4 Yeoman.  She worked in the sheriff’s office and then in a construction management role but was laid off.  She was nominated for NABC Recycled Rides® by a local military service organization to provide her transportation to help her find her next position and to support the community service work that she does. GEICO provided the vehicle and the technicians at Caliber Collision donated their time and skills to refurbish it.
• Michelle Diaz received a 2016 Acura ILX donated by Allstate and refurbished by the employees of Crash Champions. Ms. Diaz is a graduate of the Jobs Partnership Lifeworks program.  At 19, she moved right into a job as a patient care technician for Advent Health.  Since she could not save for a car while using ride shares to get around, Jobs Partnership recommended her for NABC Recycled Rides® to give her independence and to be able to help family members who have supported her.
• LaShonda Chandler is a single mother of a 14-year-old.  She was accepted into the One More Child single moms program last year, went through certified nursing assistant training and within a week started a new job in health care. She is pursuing advancement with her current employer to improve life for her daughter.  One More Child nominated Ms. Chandler for a car to make that more achievable.  It was donated by Travelers and refurbished by Classic Collision OBT West.

“The mission of the NABC® and our Changing and Saving Lives Foundation is changing and saving lives every day. Since the program began, the NABC Recycled Rides® program has presented more than 3,300 vehicles to people in need,” said Deborah Robinson, executive director of the National Auto Body Council®. “The entire collision industry has made this possible and we’re proud to gather with the industry leaders here in Orlando today to present vehicles to these three women to help them continue their journey to independence and success.”

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 included 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 valued at $47 million 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. 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 allow 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.