NABC Recycled Rides® Program Joined GEICO, Crash Champions, and Carolinas Collision Capital Ford To Donate Two Refurbished Vehicles to Two Deserving Charlotte Veterans

The Car Presentation Took Place Sunday, March 26 at the I-CAR East Zone Meeting in Charlotte

(Charlotte, NC)  (March 28, 2023) – On Sunday, March 26, two deserving Charlotte veterans 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 donor GEICO and Carolinas Collision Capital Ford and Crash Champions 

The presentation was held at the I-CAR East Zone Meetingat Charlotte Marriott City Center.  The deserving recipients were selected by the Veterans Administration, Salisbury NC and Mecklenburg County Veteran Service Office.

“We are honored to be able to give back to our veterans who have given so much to our country,” said Gene Caburian, Auto Damage Performance Analyst, Compliance and Quality Assurance Team,  GEICO. “We are grateful to Carolinas Collision Capital Ford and Crash Champions for their support and partnership in this program.”

The recipients included:

• Aaron Velazquez, a U.S. Marine veteran, received a 2019 Hyundai Sonata. The car will allow him to take employment opportunities that will assist him to move  from his current housing program. 
• Cyril Smith, a U.S. Army veteran and father of three children, received a 2018 Hyundai Elantra.  He is struggling with housing and needs reliable transportation to continue working at his current job. He was working two jobs, but due to conflicting hours, he had to leave one job.  His current vehicle needs a lot of work, and he is unable to afford the price of the repairs.  

“I am extremely grateful to NABC and their members. This car will allow me to continue working and providing for my family. I was struggling with housing and transportation, but this donation has given me hope and a new lease on life. Thank you so much for the generosity and support,” said Smith.

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, Enterprise, Headlight Depot, Premier Services, Copart, Back2New Auto Reconditioning, McGee Brothers Automotive, Keystone, Fort Mill Hyundai and D&M Wrecker Service. 

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.