Ashly Potter, (shown above with the Hertz team and Fix Auto repair partner) is a single mother with a young son who has Autism who received a 2017 Toyota Camry SE that was donated by Hertz and repaired by Fix Auto Cathedral City. Potter is challenged with taking care of her son and juggling his frequent medical needs with a lack of transportation. The gift of reliable transportation will allow her to better care for her son and return to work.
Melissa Lozano escaped from a gang-infested neighborhood and challenging life as a teen and today is working to be a good role model for her 13 children. The gift of a 2018 Honda Civic Sport that was donated by GEICO and refurbished by Hamblin’s Auto Body, will allow her to get them to school and activities and continue on a positive path.
During the golf tournament, NABC™ hosted a unique NABC F.R.E.E.™ event where first responders from the Palm Springs area had an opportunity to learn new cutting and extrication techniques on late model vehicles donated by USAA and program instructors provided by Hurst Jaws of Life.
“What a tremendous kickoff for the 25th anniversary celebration of the National Auto Body Council with our members, our industry colleagues and numerous Palm Springs community members,” said Bill Garoutte, president and CEO of the National Auto Body Council. “Our mission of ‘Changing and Saving Lives Every Day’ becomes very visible when we are able to provide three vehicles for deserving recipients and educate community first responders on making Palm Springs’ streets safer for area drivers.”
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 nearly 2,500 vehicles valued at more than $34 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 2,500 vehicles, provided extrication opportunities for over 1,600 First Responders this year and some 3,500 in its history, and contributed to thousands of distracted driving pledges in communities through NABC Recycled Rides®, NABC First Responder Emergency Extrication (F.R.E.E.™) and the NABC Distracted Driving Initiative™. That effort equates to a 4:1 ROI in dollar value delivered from NABC™ membership dollars. The National Auto Body Council® is changing the paradigm of how the collision industry works and is viewed. For more information, visit www.NationalautoBodyCouncil.org.
As part of the National Auto Body Council® annual “NABC Day” for the collision repair industry, the event featured a NABC Recycled Rides® presentation of three refurbished vehicles to deserving Palm Springs residents followed by the NABC™ industry reception – all held on Tuesday, January 14, at Tahquitz Creek Golf Club in Palm Springs, CA.