NABC® Members GEICO and Crash Champions Donate Refurbished Vehicle to Deserving Houston Woman in Need through the NABC Recycled Rides® Program

Presentation Took Place on December 11 in Houston

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

PORT CHARLOTTE, FL  (December 13, 2024) – A resident of Houston experienced a life-changing event – the presentation of a vehicle to provide her critically needed transportation – thanks to the National Auto Body Council Recycled Rides® program along with car donor GEICO and repair partner Crash Champions.

NABC®, GEICO and Crash Champions presented a fully refurbished 2019 Nissan Sentra S to a woman in recovery from domestic abuse. She was nominated by the Fort Bend Women’s Center, which assists survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault and their children to achieve safety and self-sufficiency.

Eric Casten, director of operations for Crash Champions, said, “The event was a resounding success. The charity was overwhelmed by the amount of hard work that went into restoring the vehicle…We can’t wait to be a part of another gifting.”

Kris Worden, general manager of the Crash Champions shop that performed the work on the vehicle, added, “The team and I are so pleased to have been a part of this.  Knowing we are going to make a considerable impact in someone’s life is an awesome thing.”

The Women’s Center helps victims navigate the legal system. In many of these cases, it is essential for the victim to remain anonymous, which is why the Women’s Center accepted the donation on behalf of the recipient and followed up to make sure that the vehicle reached the recipient, providing her independence and the ability to help other family members.

“The cleint, a survivor of domestic violence, has faced numerous challenges in rebuilding her life and ensuring the safety and well-being of her children,” explained Henrietta Mitchell, grants manager at the Fort Bend Women’s Center.  “The car provided by NABC Recycled Rides® will be a pivotal turning point for her. It will enable her not only to securely travel to her job but also to manage school errands for her children which were previously out of reach due to transportation issues.  Thanks to this support, she is not just surviving but thriving.”            

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 $47 million.

Additional partners in the NABC Recycled Rides® presentation include Pro Tint, Barnette’s Detailing, Auto Zone, O’Reilly’s Auto Parts, Just Wheel Repair, ATE, Gold Team Interiors, City Glass, Advanced Remarketing Services, Cars for Charity, 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 3,500 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.