Presentation Took Place July 7 at CARSTAR Northfield Auto Body in Northfield, MN
MEDIA NOTE: Photos from the NABC Recycled Rides® presentation are available HERE
PORT CHARLOTTE, FL (July 9, 2026) – On Tuesday, July 7, a Twin Cities area veteran received a once-in-a-lifetime gift — the donation of a beautifully refurbished vehicle that will allow him to continue working and to be an active member of the veteran community. The donation was made possible by the NABC Recycled Rides® program, vehicle donor GEICO and repair partner CARSTAR Northfield, part of the Driven Brands family of automotive brands.
The presentation took place at CARSTAR Northfield Auto Body in Northfield, MN. The recipient was nominated by the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans. MACV was established in 1990 and has a long history serving Minnesota veterans by providing services, including housing, employment, and legal aid, that address the reasons for veterans’ homelessness to create sustainable housing opportunities.
We at CARSTAR were honored to partner with NABC Recycled Rides® and GEICO to donate a reliable vehicle to a deserving veteran in our community,” said Joel Hansen, Chief Executive Officer of Minor Details Automotive Inc. “It is an honor to use our skills to give back, restore independence, and support those who have served our country. From our CARSTAR family to Kelvin we hope this donation has a big impact on your daily life.
A 2020 Kia Sportage, donated by GEICO and refurbished by the technicians at CARSTAR Northfield Auto Body, was presented to Kevin Peoples. He was a generator repairman in the United States Army beginning his service in 1984. He served for three years and was honorably discharged in 1987 and remained employed as a civilian until 2024 when he was laid off. Peoples suffered several setbacks, resulting in a period of homelessness, and an injury to his left leg in 2012. He has been able to maintain steady employment, allowing him to continue improving his life and maintain his independence, however public transportation has proven to be difficult and dangerous. With this refurbished vehicle from the NABC Recycled Rides® program, Peoples will be able to continue to improve his housing situation, maintain employment stability and continue to be an active member of the veteran community, which has been an important part of his progress.
Those in the community can support this life-changing program in two ways – donate to the program directly or donate their unwanted or non-running vehicle through the Changing and Saving Lives Keys for Change program. They will receive a tax donation for their contribution, and proceeds will help provide reliable transportation for those in need across the country – and in their local community.
“This gifted vehicle means a lot to me,” said Peoples. “I won’t have to use public transportation anymore. Thank you all very much form the bottom of my heart.”
Additional partners in this presentation include: NAPA, LKQ, Bloomington Luther Kia, Speedy Keys, PPG, Apple Ford White Bear Lake, Enterprise, Advanced Remarketing Services, Cars for Charity, and Copart.
GEICO, a Level One partner 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®.
CARSTAR is part of the Driven Brands family of automotive brands, a level one NABC member, and is an I-CAR Gold Certified network. CARSTAR Northfield is one of six Twin Cities repair facilities owned by Minor Details Automotive Inc.
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 3,750 vehicles valued at some $67 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 3,750 vehicles valued at more than $67 million and provided extrication opportunities for some 7,000 First Responders in communities around the country through NABC Recycled Rides® and NABC First Responder Emergency Extrication (F.R.E.E.™).
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.
The Changing and Saving Lives Foundation Keys for Change program also helps drive funding for key programs. The easy, efficient donation process allows vehicle owners to turn their unwanted vehicles into life-changing support. All vehicle donations fund critical programs that provide support and assistance for families in need, military members, veterans and first responders.
For more information, visit http://www.nationalautobodycouncil.org/.