On October 8, a deserving U.S. Marine Corps veteran experienced a life-changing event – the presentation of a vehicle to provide him reliable transportation to carry out his important mission of serving veterans and frontline workers in need. The vehicle presentation is being made possible thanks to High-Velocity Autobody and car donor Hertz, along with the National Auto Body Council Recycled Rides® program.
The presentation was held at High-Velocity Autobody in Inwood, NY.
“So much is happening in our world today and so much uncertainty. Like so many people across the world, Andrei’s
High-Velocity Autobody and Hertz presented a 2019 Toyota Corolla to Andrei Popow, a veteran who served in the U.S. Marine Corps. Popow, a New York native, was working as a graphic artist prior to 9.11, then enlisted to serve his country after the tragedy. He had tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, and received numerous medals and commendations for his service. Upon returning home, he found many of his fellow soldiers suffering from pain and depression, and struggling with substance abuse and suicide. He used his GI Bill to enroll at NYU and study Nonprofit Organizational Development, then founded Veterans Rebuilding Life to help veterans in need.
After losing his job to COVID-19 layoffs, he continued his worked delivering PPE to essential workers, even though he didn’t have a vehicle and had to pay for a rental car. The gift of reliable transportation will allow him to expand his service to those in need and continue helping veterans rebuild their lives.
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 2,500 vehicles valued at more than $36 million.
Additional partners in the presentation include Smithtown Toyota, Kemperle, R&J’s Auto Glass, Dent Shield and 1.800 Charity Cars.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL AUTO BODY COUNCIL®
The National Auto Body Council®, celebrating its’ 25th anniversary in 2020, 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 more than 3,800 First Responders 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.
