National Auto Body Council® Joined USAA for Its Ongoing 100th Anniversary Celebration with the Presentation of 11 NABC Recycled Rides® Vehicles to Deserving Veterans and Military Members

on Thursday, September 15, 2022, in Charlotte

Media Note: Photos and Video from the Event Are Available Here

CHARLOTTE (October 3, 2022) – Recently, 11 deserving veterans and military members and their families were honored at the regional USAA headquarters in Charlotte, NC and presented with National Auto Body Council Recycled Rides® vehicles, all donated by USAA. The vehicles were refurbished by collision repair partners Hendrick Collision Centers, including Hendrick Collision Center of Charlotte, Hendrick Collision Center of Concord, Hendrick Collision Center of Rock Hill and Hendrick Collision Center – Gwinnett Place Honda; Caliber Collision Center – Charlotte/Monroe and Caliber Collision Center – Charlotte/Harris Blvd.; CARSTAR Jerry Rhynes Collision; and Carolinas Collision/Parks Chevrolet and Cross Creek Collision, both Certified Collision Group members.

The presentation was part of USAA’s 100^th anniversary celebration, through which it will gift 100 NABC Recycled Rides® vehicles to military families across the country, including Nashville, Seattle, Chesapeake, Savannah, Charlotte, Colorado Springs, Denver, Phoenix, Tampa, San Diego and finally San Antonio later this year.

“USAA was proud to present vehicles to 11 deserving military families to give them the gift of reliable transportation in commemoration of USAA’s 100^th anniversary,” said Jeff Wallace, EVP and Chief Financial Officer, USAA. “Our commitment is to serve our military members, and we are proud to help these service men and women with the gift of reliable transportation to help them along their journey. Thank you to our many partners, including the NABC Recycled Rides® program, for making this possible.”

For 100 years, USAA’s mission has served active-duty service members, veterans and their families. Recipients have been nominated by nonprofit organizations to receive a NABC Recycled Ride®. With the partnership of the National Auto Body Council® (NABC), a non-profit committed to serving their communities, and many in the collision repair industry, vehicles are repaired and donated to those identified as in need of reliable transportation.

The recipients were selected by the North Carolina Guard Association, NC Works Career Center, Yadkin County Veterans Services, North Carolina VFW, 82^nd Airborne Memorial Association and Salvation Army.

The recipients included:

• SPC Miresa Jote, who received a 2019 Jeep Cherokee, repaired by Hendrick Collision Center of Rock Hill
• PFC Jeramiah Carter, who was presented a 2020 Hyundai Kona, refurbished by Hendrick Collision Center of Charlotte
• Veteran CPL Walter Burnette, who was gifted a 2017 Kia Forte, repaired by Hendrick Collision Center of Concord
• PFC Ethan Moore, who received a 2020 Honda Civic, refurbished by Hendrick Collision Center – Gwinnett Place Honda
• PFC Cade Wied, who was presented a 2020 Honda Civic, restored by Hendrick Collision Center
• Veteran Sgt. James Cline, who received a 2016 Dodge Grand Caravan, repaired by Caliber Collision Center – Charlotte/Monroe
• Veteran SPSK Amber Hair, who was presented a 2016 Nissan Rogue SL, repaired by NABC Member Collision Repair Partners
• PFC Alex Chuter, who received a 2020 Honda Accord, repaired by Caliber Collision Center – Charlotte/Harris Blvd.
• SPC Matthew Gibson, who was gifted a 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe, repaired by Carolinas Collision and Parks Chevrolet, a Certified Collision Group member
• SPC Kevin Diaz-Arellano, who received a 2018 Honda CRV, restored by Cross Creek Collision, a Certified Collision Group member
• PV2 Brock Rotter, who was gifted a 2020 Mazda 3, refurbished by CARSTAR Jerry Rhynes Collision

The National Auto Body Council® shared it gratefulness for USAA’s tremendous commitment to giving back to military members.

“We are so proud to join our member USAA in their 100^th anniversary celebration, and grateful to our members Caliber Collision & Glass, Hendrick Collision Centers, CARSTAR and Certified Collision Group which refurbished all of today’s beautiful vehicles,” Bill Garoutte, president and CEO of the National Auto Body Council®. “It is such an honor to meet these military members and their families and hear their stories. We are indebted to their service to the country and are committed help them continue their path to independence and success with the gift of reliable transportation.”

Additional partners in the presentation included 1.800.Charity.Cars, Enterprise, Axalta, NAPA and Longhouse, among others.

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 nearly 3,000 vehicles valued at some $42 million.

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 nearly 3,000 vehicles, provided extrication opportunities for nearly 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. For more information, visit www.NationalautoBodyCouncil.org.