MEDIA NOTE: Photos and Video from the NABC Recycled Rides® presentation are available HERE
PORT CHARLOTTE, FL (December 19, 2025) – On Thursday, December 18, a Reading, PA veteran received a life-changing early Christmas gift—the donation of a beautifully refurbished vehicle to help him travel to work and provide transportation for his family. The donation was made possible by the NABC Recycled Rides® program, car donor Travelers and repair partner Caliber Collision.
The presentation took place at the Caliber Collision location in Reading, PA. The recipient was nominated by the Veterans Multi-Service Center. The Veterans Multi-Service Center (VMC) was founded in 1980 by local Vietnam Veterans, who built a memorial along the Philadelphia waterfront and discovered a sense of community unparalleled. Since then, their innovative programs have grown to serve over 6,500 Veterans and families annually throughout the tri-state area.
“It’s a tremendous relief just to be able to do things without having to rely on other people,” said U.S. Navy veteran, Keith Fry. “It means everything to be able just to help out my family. It means a lot.”
A 2019 Honda Accord, donated by Travelers and refurbished by the technicians at Caliber Collision, was presented to Keith Fry. He served in the United States Navy from 1986 – 1989. Keith, his wife Jessica, and son Jordan were previously homeless and residing in an emergency shelter. Both Keith, and Jessica have gained employment, and both work together at the same restaurant. While Keith and Jessica must utilize public transportation and ride-sharing services, at times, they still often must walk either to or from their apartment or to their place of employment, due to conflicting work schedules and public transportation schedules. The distance from their apartment to their job location is approximately six miles one way. Additionally, their son, Jordan, is involved in sports at Reading High School, and a lack of transportation is a barrier for Keith and Jessica to be able to attend Jordan’s sporting events. This refurbished vehicle from the NABC Recycled Rides® program will provide the Fry household to with reliable transportation to work and to attend their son’s school activities as a family.
Travelers, a level one member of the NABC®, has donated nearly 100 vehicles to people and organizations in need through NABC Recycled Rides®.
Caliber Collision, also a Level One partner of the NABC®, has donated more than 600 vehicles to military service members, veterans and other individuals in need of reliable transportation over the last 12 years. All Caliber locations are I-CAR Gold Certified 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 Rides® program in 2007, members of the National Auto Body Council® have donated more than 3,500 vehicles valued at some $51 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 more than 3,500 vehicles and provided extrication opportunities for some 6,000 First Responders in communities around the country through NABC Recycled Rides® and NABC First Responder Emergency Extrication (F.R.E.E.™). 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.