PORT CHARLOTTE, FL (August 5, 2025) – Recently, a Portland-area veteran of service in the United States Navy was honored with a life-changing gift, a fully refurbished vehicle to allow him to get to work and important community events—thanks to the National Auto Body Council Recycled Rides® program, along with insurance partner USAA and collision repair partner Mackin’s Auto Body.
The presentation took place at the gala celebration of the opening of the 12th Mackin’s location which also marks 80 years in business.
NABC®, USAA and Mackin’s were joined at the event by representatives of BASF, the event sponsor, who donated the paint for the vehicle, and WESCO, a level one member of the NABC, who filled the trunk of the donated vehicle with more than $1500 worth of gift items for the recipient.
The partners presented a beautifully refurbished 2025 Subaru Outback to Jason Butler, who served seven years in the U.S. Navy, rising to the rank of E-5. His work commute has been two hours each way. Without a vehicle, he has been unable to run simple errands or take part in community activities. Butler would like to volunteer and play in a sports league, but those have been out of the question. His weekly medical appointments at the V.A. in Vancouver, Washington tend to be full of anxiety because of the associated stress of long waiting times if an appointment is missed due to transportation issues. With his own NABC Recycled Rides® vehicle, Jason Butler will gain more reliable access to medical care, improved mental well-being, and the opportunity to reconnect with friends and community.
Butler was nominated for the donation by Fort Kennedy, a veteran service organization.
USAA is a Level One Member of NABC and has provided more than 100 vehicles for donation to individuals and organizations in need through NABC Recycled Rides®.
Mackin’s Auto Body, a member of the Certified Collision Group, has been family owned since 1945, when Bob and Doris Mackin purchased a Mobil Oil service station in North Portland. The 12 Mackin’s locations in Washington and Oregon are all I-CAR Gold Certified collision repair facilities.
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 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 the NABC Recycled Rides® presentation included Tonkin Parts Center, Excel Window Tinting & Autospa, BASF, Industrial Finishes, Norton Abrasives, Pacific Office, Courtesy Ford, Elitek, Fix Your Dents, 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.