NABC® Joins Member Insurers and Collision Repair Centers to Donate Refurbished Vehicles to Southern California Families in Need Through the NABC Recycled Rides® Program

Car Presentations to Recipients Took Place at the

Women’s Industry Network Conference in Newport Beach, California on Wednesday, May 8

MEDIA NOTE: Additional Photos from the NABC Recycled Rides® Presentation are available HERE.

PORT CHARLOTTE, FL (May 9, 2024) – On May 8, as part of the Women’s Industry Network Conference, the wife of a U.S. Marine Corps staff sergeant and two mothers from the San Clemente area each experienced a life-changing event – the presentation of a vehicle to provide each family much needed transportation – thanks to the National Auto Body Council Recycled Rides® program along with car donors GEICO and the Auto Club of California and collision repair partners Caliber Collision, Crash Champions and Fix Auto Brea.

NABC®, the Auto Club of California and Caliber Collision presented a fully refurbished 2019 Acura RDX to Cindy Cepeda, a military wife with three children. Her husband is an active-duty U. S. Marine. The family car was totaled in an accident. The Cepedas had been making do with an older and unreliable vehicle. 

In Cinda Cepeda’s words, “Having this car is one of greatest blessings in recent years.  Now I can get to work, pick up my kids from school and do our daily routines.  I am so grateful.”

NABC®, GEICO and Crash Champions presented a beautifully refurbished 2020 Mazda CX-5 to Celina De la Torre, a single mother of two, who always puts others first.  She sold her car to a friend in need, who is slowly paying Celina back. This donation means De la Torre no longer has to borrow others’ cars to get to her job as a membership clerk.

This means a lot,” said Celina De la Torre.  “This is a big help for my family and me.  I just can’t believe it.  Thank you so much.”

NABC®, GEICO and Fix Auto Brea presented a fully refurbished 2019 Hyundai Sonata to Maria de Tate, a single mother of two who works as a housekeeping supervisor for Marriott. She had been nursing along a 2005 Toyota Camry which needed thousands of dollars in repairs to keep running, which she could not afford.

“Gracias.  Thank you.” Maria de Tate said, overwhelmed by the gift. “This means so much.”

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.

The sponsoring partner in the NABC Recycled Rides® presentation is the Women’s Industry Network.  Additional sponsors include Advanced Remarketing Services, Cars for Charity, Copart, Superior ADAS Chino, Dinaco Auto Glass, Community Tire, Parts Authority Enterprise, National Auto Parts, Pacific Auto Company, Allstar Auto Lights, Discount Tires, Mylar Master, Community Tire and Auto Service La Brea, Empire Steering, Lara’s Auto Glass, Caliber Fleet Solutions and George’s Wheel Repair.

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.