NABC® Members Allstate, Gerber Collision and PPG Combine to Donate a Refurbished Vehicle to Orlando-area U.S. Army Veteran through the NABC Recycled Rides® Program

The NABC Recycled Rides® presentation took place Monday at the PPG MVP Conference in Amelia Island, FL

Media Note: videos and additional photos from the presentation can be found HERE.

PORT CHARLOTTE, FL  (April 8, 2025) – On April 7, a veteran of the U. S. Army received a life-changing gift—a beautifully refurbished vehicle to help him and other veterans in their recovery from the effects of war.  The NABC Recycled Rides® program and its partners Gerber Collision and Allstate worked together to make the donation, and the presentation was sponsored by PPG at its PPG MVP conference at the Omni Amelia Island resort.

The vehicle, a 2022 Dodge Ram 1500, was donated by Allstate and refurbished by the expert technicians at Gerber Collision & Glass of Jacksonville.  It was presented to Jose Belen, who was nominated for the NABC Recycled Rides® program by One Heart for Women and Children.

Jose Belen enlisted in the U.S. Army and was deployed to Iraq, where the harsh realities of war soon shattered any preconceptions formed by television portrayals. In a devastating turn of events, two days before Christmas in 2003, his best friend and captain died in combat. Belen was left to carry the remains, an experience that left indelible scars on his soul. After his military service ended in 2005, Belen faced serious recovery issues, but he found solace in art therapy. Through this creative outlet, he discovered a new passion that he credits with saving his life.

Today, Belen’s mission is to support fellow veterans grappling with addiction, PTSD, and suicidal thoughts. His dedication to ending veteran suicide is unwavering, and he uses art as a powerful tool for healing. The NABC Recycled Rides® donated vehicle will enable Belen to continue his vital work, take his daughter to school, and provide the assistance that helps others emerge from the depths of depression.

“I just want to say thank you for allowing me to empower veterans out there, and have a safe and reliable ride,” said Belen. “This is something I never could have dreamed of.” 

PPG, a level one member of the National Auto Body Council®,  is a leader in innovation, color and technology in the automotive refinish market. The PPG MVP conference provides comprehensive business solutions and support for collision repair shop owners looking to reduce cycle time and improve operational efficiency.

“This has become a tradition at our PPG Conference to work with our industry partners to present NABC Recycled Rides vehicles to local families in need,” said Tom Wolf, North American Sales Director for PPG and chairman of the National Auto Body Council® board. “It’s an honor to be able to gift a vehicle to a veteran like Jose Dolen and help him continue his recovery. Many thanks to our partners at Allstate for donating this vehicle and at Gerber for an incredible job on refurbishing it. We wish Jose all the best in the future.”

Allstate, also a level one partner of the National Auto Body Council®, has donated hundreds of vehicles to people and organizations in need through NABC Recycled Rides®

Gerber Collision & Glass was founded in 1937 as a single glass and trim shop in Chicago and has grown to be one of the largest auto collision and glass repair companies in North America. Gerber Collision locations are all I-CAR Gold Certified repair facilities. Gerber is also a level one member of the National Auto Body Council®.

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 3,500 vehicles valued at some $51 million.

Additional partners in this NABC® Recycled Rides presentation included Advanced Remarketing Services, Cars for Charity, Copart, Dent Logic and Extreme Towing. 

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 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.