MEDIA CONTACT:
Deborah Robinson
312.505.4336
drobinson@nationalautobodycouncil.org
The Car Presentation Took Place at the United Recyclers Group (URG) Conference on April 28 in Orlando
MEDIA NOTE: Photos and video from the NABC Recycled Rides® Presentation are available (here)
ORLANDO, FL (May 1, 2023) – On Friday, April 28, two deserving Orlando area residents experienced a life-changing event – the donation of a vehicle to provide them independence and the ability to work and take care of their families – thanks to the National Auto Body Council Recycled Rides® program along with car donors GEICO and repair partners Crash Champions. The presentation was held at the URG Conference and both recipients were nominated by Family Promise.
“We appreciate the opportunity to work with such great NABC® members as GEICO and Crash Champions to change the lives of these two deserving recipients,” said Don Porter, President of URG and NABC® board member. “The NABC Recycled Rides® gifting is always one of the highlights of our conferences.”
The recipients included: Joneisha Linder, a single mother with a 6-year-old son. She and her son became homeless after losing her job, apartment, and vehicle. She enrolled in the Family Promise temporary shelter program in January 2023. She homeschooled her son to avoid worrying about finding transportation to and from school. She has no family in Florida, so she lacked a support system. Family Promise of Jacksonville provided that support. Since then, she has made great effort to rebuild her life, searching for and obtaining employment. She has continued to work toward her goals and the gift of a 2018 Mazda 3 Sport will be the next step to regain her independence.
The second recipient and her three children were homeless in 2020 when she was referred to Family Promise of Greater Orlando where she was provided with stable housing and resources, and as she says “this is the help I needed while I am helping myself”. Shaval has been renting vehicles to commute to work so she can keep her job, provide for her family and take her children to school. The gift of a 2019 Nissan Sentra will help her continue her journey to provide a stable environment for her family.
“This car will help make a better life for myself and my son. It’s a new life for me. I am very grateful and appreciative to NABC Recycled Rides®, GEICO and Crash Champions,” said Linder.
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 3,000 vehicles valued at some $42 million. Additional partners in the NABC Recycled Rides® presentation included 1-800 Charity Cars, Copart, URG and MAD Programming.
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 3,000 vehicles, provided extrication opportunities for over 5,000 First Responders and is helping educate students and adult drivers in communities around the country through NABC Recycled Rides®, NABC First Responder Emergency Extrication (F.R.E.E.™) and the NABC® Drive Out Distraction program. That effort equates to a 4:1 ROI in dollar value delivered from NABC® membership dollars. The National Auto Body Council® is changing the paradigm of how the collision industry works and is viewed. For more information, visit www.NationalautoBodyCouncil.org
