Presentation of the NABC Recycled Ride® Took Place December 3, 2025, in Land O’ Lakes, FL
MEDIA NOTE: Photos and Video from the NABC Recycled Rides® presentation are available HERE
PORT CHARLOTTE, FL (December 3, 2025) – On Wednesday, December 3, a Tampa grandmother in need received an early Christmas gift that outshines Santa’s sleigh gift—the donation of a beautifully refurbished vehicle as she continues caring for her young grandchildren. The donation was made possible by the NABC Recycled Rides® program, vehicle donor GEICO and repair partner Crash Champions.
The presentation took place at the Crash Champions location in Land O’ Lakes, FL. The recipient was nominated by Dress for Success Tampa Bay. Dress for Success Tampa Bay empowers women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire and the development tools to help them thrive in work and in life.
“I am a domestic violence survivor, and I have lost my son, and I have been through so much in my life, but today is a day of blessings, of miracles,” said emotional recipient Rose West. “I just want to thank everyone who contributed to this day. I am so grateful and honored to receive such a gift. This is the best day of my life, a day I will remember for the rest of my life.”
A 2022 Chevrolet Blazer, donated by GEICO and refurbished by the technicians at Crash Champions, was presented to Rose West. Shetakes care of her two young grandchildren while working at Dress for Success Tampa Bay. West is the heart of the operation, and they depend on her every day, despite not having a reliable vehicle. She is very strong in her faith, and as she puts it, it keeps her grounded. West had two sons, one sadly was lost to the streets and passed away. His son is now 17 and was raised by West. Her grandson recently graduated with honors from a technical school in Tampa. The older son went to culinary school to be a chef, owned a home and had a small luncheonette. Unfortunately, he got caught up with the wrong people and is now incarcerated. West now has two young grandchildren that she takes care of, that she says they keep her going. This refurbished vehicle from the NABC Recycled Rides® program will allow West to continue providing childcare for her grandchildren and as she works to empower women in the community.
GEICO, a Level One member of the National Auto Body Council®, has donated more than 1,000 vehicles to people and organizations through NABC Recycled Rides®, making it the largest car donor partner of NABC Recycled Rides.
Crash Champions, also a Level One partner of the National Auto Body Council®, has gifted more than 250 vehicles to people and organizations through NABC Recycled Rides®.
Additional partners in this presentation include: LKQ, AutoNation, Tires Plus, Superior Towing, AutoZone, Copart, Advanced Remarketing Services, and Cars for Charity
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.