NABC Recycled Rides® Frequently Asked Questions
- Do I need to be a National Auto Body Council® member to participate?
Yes, your membership allows NABC® to manage and provide administrative support for the NABC Recycled Rides® program as well as the many other programs we offer to enhance the image of the industry. - Does it cost money to participate?
Participation in NABC Recycled Rides® is free with a minimum single location membership. Click here to see membership levels and benefits. A presentation kit consisting of our signature large green, re-usable trademark NABC Recycled Rides® bow, license plate, key fob and a branding banner costs $110 + shipping (price subject to change), and these are required. - How do I get involved?
Sign up as a member. Once your membership dues have been received, and you indicated that you wish to participate in the NABC Recycled Rides® Program, you will receive the NABC Recycled Rides® manual which provides a blueprint for initiating, managing and completing the project. If you are already a member, register online for a NABC Recycled Rides® event and the program manager will provide ongoing and support to help you stay on track. - I am a collision repairer — how do I get a vehicle to donate?
There are several sources for vehicles including, but not limited to, insurance companies, rental car companies and auto auctions. Use your own local contacts to find a vehicle or contact the National Auto Body Council® to see if they have identified a source in your area for vehicle procurement. - Can individuals apply to receive a NABC Recycled Ride® vehicle?
The NABC Recycled Rides® program does not accept applications directly from individuals. NABC® members partner with local non-profit charitable organizations who select NABC Recycled Rides® recipients. These organizations provide services and work directly with at-risk families and individuals and have the expertise to qualify and select potential NABC Recycled Rides® recipients based on the individual’s needs. In many cases, they are also able to provide a full continuum of other support services beyond transportation. Individuals who need assistance with transportation should contact local family assistance programs. - How do I find a recipient?
The easiest way is to partner with a non-profit charitable organization. The vehicle will be conveyed from 1-800 Charity Cars to the recipient who has been identified by the charity, which also has certain responsibilities. One is to find the recipient, although you might want to be involved in that process. Ideally the recipient will be a family in need. Another responsibility of the charity is to assist with local media coverage for NABC Recycled Rides® and your shop’s participation in this project. A non-profit may be the recipient if the vehicle will assist the organization’s mission. - What industry segments are involved with this project?
Most industry segments have expressed their support for NABC Recycled Rides®. Collision repair shops will do the repair work, help identify a charity partner and coordinate the presentation. Insurers, auto auctions, rental car companies and others can donate vehicles. Parts vendors with national networks have shown their willingness to provide parts. Paint and material vendors have expressed their commitment to work with the industry. And we encourage you to seek assistance from a local mechanical shop or towing company if you need those services during the project. Some shops have gone the extra mile to solicit local retail businesses to join in by providing gift cards for gas or automotive services and gift items such as toys and supplies for the recipient and their family.Everything you need to know about this project is in the NABC Recycled Rides® manual with ongoing support from NABC® as requested.
- What is 1-800 Charity Cars?
The National Auto Body Council® partners with 1-800 Charity Cars which generously donates its services to process all necessary paperwork to transfer vehicle title from donor to recipient. This service is provided as an exclusive benefit for NABC™ members participating in the NABC Recycled Rides® program. As both a non-profit organization and a licensed car dealer, 1-800 Charity Cars has partnered with NABC™ since the inception of NABC Recycled Rides® in 2007, and donated resources to help reassign the vehicle title from donor to the recipient, a multi-step process that minimizes liability while maximizing benefit for all parties involved. Also, 1-800 Charity Cars also accepts vehicles for use for its own car donation program. Cars that do not qualify to be donated to a family are sold and help fund repairs to other vehicles to help a family receive a reliable, working car. Because all vehicle titles are first signed over to them, 1-800 Charity Cars can provide a tax receipt to any business that donates parts or materials to the repair.
Click below to get started Changing and Saving Lives Every Day in your community.
GEICO has been involved with the NABC Recycled Rides® program for over a decade, and a lot of great relationships have been built over the years. During that time, we have seen that our involvement in the program extends beyond helping individual families in need. The vehicles that we donate to the program are not only changing the lives of those who receive the vehicles, but are also impacting communities. Those who have been nominated by various non-profits to receive vehicles are often already paying it forward by volunteering in the their communities, and now they can do even more with their vehicles. It humbles me to be a part of this great program, and I’m ecstatic that GEICO is on pace to donate 200 cars this year.
Troy Penry, AVP of Auto Damage
"The partnership of matching families that have a refurbished future with these amazing vehicles that have been refurbished by local body shops is one of the best programs we have ever engaged in at Family Promise of Las Vegas. More than 80 Las Vegas families have benefited from this partnership since 2009 - There are no words to describe how life changing the NABC Recycled Rides® program is to our families."
Terry Ruth Lindemann Executive Director, Family Promise of Las Vegas