MEDIA CONTACT:
Dale Ross
651.207.9652
dross@nationalautobodycouncil.org
Vehicles Help Family in Need and Local Charity
MEDIA NOTE: Photos from the NABC Recycled Rides® presentation are available
PORT CHARLOTTE, FL (March 18, 2024) – A deserving mother from Long Branch and a charity in Wantage have experienced life-changing events – the presentation of vehicles to provide them critically needed transportation – thanks to the National Auto Body Council Recycled Rides® program along with car donor GEICO and repair partners Mountain View Auto and Collision Center of New Jersey.
The presentations were held during the Association of Automotive Service Providers/New Jersey Northeast Automotive Services Show at the Meadowlands.
Kimberly Hatcher, who was nominated by Love Thy Neighbor, received a 2018 Mazda CX-5, donated by GEICO, and fully refurbished by Mountain View Auto,
Hatcher is raising her two children, ages six and 19, as a single mother. They have disabilities and getting them to key medical appointments has been a considerable challenge.
“This is such a wonderful gift for me and my family. It will help us to get around and function as a family and do all the things that we need to do and for me to be able to meet the needs of my children,” said Hatcher.
The Collision Center of New Jersey presented a 2020 Kia Sportage to Rebecca’s Homestead, a home created in Wantage for individuals with special needs. This vehicle was also donated by GEICO.
“It was a very special and moving day,” observed Daniel Anastasia, general manager of the Collision Center in Wayne. “The Collision Center was honored to have had the opportunity to be a part of the NABC Recycled Rides® program. We believe that volunteering and donating are great ways to give back to your community and help others less fortunate than ourselves.”
Rebecca’s Homestead was created to give housing and employment opportunities to individuals with disabilities. “This vehicle will enable us to take our residents to group outings and farmers markets as our garden grows and we can bring our produce for donations to our non-profit,” said Michele Elders, one of the founders of Rebacca’s Homestead. “This is the answer to a prayer for us. Thank you to everyone responsible for making it a reality.”
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 Saturday’s NABC Recycled Rides® presentations include Maxon Hyundai, BC Tire, Wayne Auto Supply, Rapid Rim Repair, AsTech, BASF, Automotive Resource Management, Nucar Wholesale Parts, LKQ Corporation, ATD Tires, 1800 Charity Cars, 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 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. 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.
