Presentation of the NABC Recycled Ride® Took Place June 11 at the Crash Champions in Davie, FL
MEDIA NOTE: Photos and video from the NABC Recycled Rides® presentation are available HERE
PORT CHARLOTTE, FL (June 12, 2026) – On Thursday, June 11, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran received the ultimate gift — the donation of a beautifully refurbished vehicle to give him and his family the freedom to travel safely. The donation was made possible by the NABC Recycled Rides® program, vehicle donor Allstate and repair partner Crash Champions.
The presentation took place at the Crash Champions located in Davie, FL. Crash Champions donates multiple vehicles each year to people in need in their local community and across the state of Florida.
The recipient was nominated by the Wounded Warrior Project. The Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) is one of the nation’s premier veterans service organizations, operating as a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to the total well-being of post-9/11 veterans, active-duty service members, and their families. The organization’s headquarters is in Jacksonville, Florida, and its primary mission is to offer no-cost services to warriors coping with physical injuries, post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injuries, and the transition to civilian life.
A 2018 Toyota RAV 4, donated by Allstate and refurbished by the technicians at the Crash Champions in Davie, FL, was presented to Sergio Hernandez and his wife.
“This vehicle is beautiful, super clean, just near mint,” said recipient Sergio Hernandez. “Reliability is a huge thing, that’s the big part. This will take a burden off our shoulders not having to worry about maintenance or any of the issues we were having with prior vehicles. I’m truly grateful for it.”
Heis a veteran of the United States Marine Corps having served in South Korea, Japan and the Philippines. He is married with a two-year-old and an infant son. He always wanted to contribute to our country and joined the Marine Corps in 2015. After his deployment, he injured his back, requiring therapy and rehabilitation. Hernandez’s injury was not healing, and he unfortunately had to leave the service a year early. Once out of the service, he used the GI bill to go back to school and study business management, attaining a bachelor’s degree. Hernandez currently has a non-working vehicle with high mileage and various mechanical issues. Reliable transportation will enable him to get to work consistently, and it will allow him to take his family to necessary appointments and enjoy the area they live in. This refurbished vehicle from the NABC Recycled Rides® program will give the Hernandez family peace and comfort knowing that they can travel safely.
Allstate, a Level One partner of the National Auto Body Council®, has donated more than 300 vehicles to people and organizations through the NABC Recycled Rides® program, making it one of the largest vehicle donor partners 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 included: Enterprise, Tire Kingdom, AutoZone, J&A Auto Restore, ATE, Advanced Remarketing Services, Copart 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 3,750 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.