MEDIA CONTACT:
Dale Ross
651.207.9652
dross@nationalautobodycouncil.org
Presentation Took Place May 21 at the Westin Sarasota
PORT CHARLOTTE, FL (May 23, 2025) – On Wednesday, May 21, a U.S. Army veteran was honored with a life-changing gift—the donation of a beautifully refurbished vehicle. The donation was made possible by the NABC Recycled Rides® program, insurance partner car donor Nationwide and repair partner Crash Champions. The presentation was sponsored by NABC member ABPA in conjunction with the ABPA Business Conference at the Westin Hotel in Sarasota, Florida.
Nationwide donated the vehicle, a 2018 Hyundai Elantra, and the expert technicians of Crash Champions Sarasota fully refurbished it for presentation to David Quintano, the recipient, a veteran of the U.S. Army.
Quintano grew up in a single-parent household and spent much of his early childhood being raised by his grandmother. As a teenager, he became involved with gangs but managed to leave that life behind by high school. He did well academically despite the challenges, including learning to play clarinet, alto saxophone, and trumpet, and has continued playing music to this day. Quintano’s mother became a police officer when he was in middle school, which created tension with his friends and the community. He joined the U.S. Army to escape his personal struggles, and returning home in 1982, Quintano struggled with a lack of direction until 1990 when he turned things around and became an EMT. He worked as a paramedic in New York City until he moved to Florida with his wife and daughter, converting his NYC paramedic certification to Florida and volunteering with Manatee County EMS. He worked full-time, while attending fire academy training for Desoto County Fire Department.
In 2021, he went to Pennsylvania to care for his mother, who passed away from cancer in 2023. He returned to Florida to stay with his daughter; however, her apartment was condemned, and Quintano became homeless. With help from the Salvation Army, he now has housing, and Quintano is now employed as a 911 dispatcher. SRQ Vets nominated Quintano for the NABC Recycled Ride.
“It’s going to change my life,” said David Quintano at the presentation event. “I’m not big on words, but thank you, thank you, thank you to NABC, Nationwide, Crash Champions and SRQ Vets.”
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.
ABPA, the event sponsor, is a longtime member of NABC®. ABPA is a coalition dedicated to serving the collision repair industry with quality replacement parts, backed by dependable service and fair prices. The organization’s goal is to enable the association members to grow their business and navigate the challenges of the alternative automotive replacement parts industry today and in the future. ABPA has proudly included a NABC Recycled Ride® presentation in each of its annual conferences.
Nationwide, a level one partner of the National Auto Body Council®, has donated multiple vehicles to people and organizations in need through NABC Recycled Rides®
Crash Champions. also a level one partner, has grown to more than 650 I-CAR Gold Certified locations in just 10 years of operation and has refurbished nearly 250 vehicles to donate to charities and people in need.
SRQ Vets has been serving veterans in Sarasota and Manatee counties since 2015. Over the years, they have expanded their support services, including car donations, auto repairs, mobility ramps, and utility bill assistance, to help local veterans regain stability and independence. Their commitment to the veteran community remains strong, ensuring those who have served receive the aid they need.
Additional partners in this NABC® Recycled Rides presentation included 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 training 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.
