GEICO, a longtime supporter of the NABC Recycled Rides® program, achieved a major milestone last week as its Arizona office representing customers in the Southwest and Pacific NW donated its 100th vehicle to the initiative. GEICO worked with Gerber Collision & Glass of Las Vegas to present the vehicle to a deserving Las Vegas resident, which will provide them independence and the ability to work and take care of their families.
The presentation was held at the Gerber Collision & Glass in Las Vegas. The deserving recipient – Demetra Childers-Hall -- was selected by Family Promise of Las Vegas.
"GEICO is so proud to be part of the NABC Recycled Rides program, and achieving 100 cars donated from our Arizona office is a major accomplishment,” said Sidy Dieng, GEICO's assistant vice president in Tucson. "NABC Recycled Rides exemplifies our effort to support the local communities where we live and work. I want to thank all our associates and partners who helped along the way; without them, we would not have been able to provide the vehicles to those who truly need them. Above all, we wish Ms. Childers-Hall and her family many happy miles."
“It’s been an honor to work with GEICO as a level one sponsor of the National Auto Body Council® for many years and we greatly appreciate their many contributions over the years. In fact, they have donated more than 50 percent of the vehicles we presented in 2020,” said Bill Garoutte, president and CEO of the National Auto Body Council®. “The donation of 100 vehicles alone by GEICO’s Arizona office in recent years is a tremendous contribution to helping these recipients and their families achieve independence, employment and positive lives. We thank them for all of their support of this program."
Childers-Hall received a 2017 Honda Civic that was donated by GEICO and restored by Gerber Collision & Glass. A single mother who faced challenges retaining employment while caring for her young son with special medical conditions, she has worked continually to regain stability and independence. A workplace injury and COVID presented additional challenges, but she battled consistently to care for her family and keep her job. The gift of reliable transportation will mean that she and her son don’t have to take the bus for hours each day, and will allow them to lead an independent life, get to school and work, and continue moving forward on their positive path.
“I have personally attended many of the NABC Recycled Rides presentations over the years and have seen first-hand the impact these vehicles have on families and organizations,” said Gerber Collision & Glass COO Kevin Burnett. “Gerber Collision & Glass remains committed to participating in the NABC Recycled Rides program and is proud to make a difference in the communities that we serve.”
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 2,600 vehicles valued at more than $36 million.
Additional partners in the NABC Recycled Rides® presentation included 1-800 Charity Cars and Enterprise.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL AUTO BODY COUNCIL®
The National Auto Body Council®, which celebrated 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 2,600 vehicles, provided extrication opportunities for more than 4,300 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.
