Two deserving Dallas residents recently experienced a life-changing event – the presentation of two vehicles to provide them independence and the ability to work and take care of their families – thanks to the National Auto Body Council (NABC) Recycled Rides program and the United Recyclers Group conference, along with car donors Farmers Insurance and collision repair partners Town East Ford and Trophy Nissan, both Berkshire Hathaway Automotive companies.

The presentation was held as part of the URG Training Conference at the Dallas Hyatt Regency in Dallas on Aug. 6. NABC Immediate Past Chair Darren Huggins, who is national collision director for Berkshire Hathaway Automotive, served as the emcee for the presentation. He was joined by Brian Driehorst, member of the NABC Board of Directors and vice president of sales for Original One Parts, Sandi Freeman, program manager for NABC Recycled Rides, and Don Porter, CEO of URG.

“First, I would like to say ‘thank you’ to Farmers Insurance for donating these two vehicles – and applaud them for donating some 173 vehicles to the NABC Recycled Rides program over the years,” said Huggins. “Our industry, from the recycling people to the collision people to the car dealers, are the very best people I’ve ever met, and it’s no different here today. I’m very proud that two of our Berkshire Hathaway Automotive shops repaired these vehicles and thank the team members at both shops who volunteered their time to restore them for our deserving recipients. I’m also proud that our Berkshire Hathaway Automotive shops have done more than 30 NABC Recycled Rides in this market, and that NABC has presented some 112 vehicles here in Dallas. In the coming months, we’ll present our 3,000th vehicle as an organization, and that isn’t possible without the support of the folks in this room and the generosity of the collision repair industry as a whole.”

The recipients, who were selected by Family Promise of Longview, were:

• Jackie Grant, who received a 2013 Nissan Altima repaired by Trophy Nissan, is a grandmother raising her granddaughter. She lost her vehicle while she was out of work due to surgery. The gift of reliable transportation will allow her to return to work and take her granddaughter to school, boxing and dance classes. She was unfortunately unable to attend because she is quarantined with COVID, and the vehicle was accepted by Mark Lampert from Family Promise of Longview.
• Randi Ruthart-Garrison, who was presented a 2014 Ford Fusion refurbished by Town East Ford, has an old, unreliable vehicle, which makes it challenging for her, her husband and their three children to get to work and school. A new vehicle will help her husband work and complete HVAC school and allow them reliable transportation to manage their daily lives. “I came to Family Promise when we were on the verge of homelessness,” she said. “They helped tremendously. To go through this program and be selected is incredible. Having a reliable vehicle will be life-changing. I can take my family to doctors and daycare and not break down on the side of road and have to walk with my three kids somewhere for help. I’m very grateful for this opportunity and thank everyone involved. It’s just amazing, and I’m very grateful.”

Recycled Rides is a 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 program in 2007, NABC members have donated more than 2,750 vehicles valued at more than $36 million.

Additional partners in the presentation included 1-800 Charity Cars, Big Bass Towing, 3M, English Color and Supply, Berkshire Hathaway Automotive, LKQ, PPG, As Tech, Stream Line Services and Tritek Window Tinting.

The team members from Town East Ford who donated their time included Alejandro Cisneros; Clay Easthom; Shannon Fauver; Juan Luna; Josh Valle; and John Ward. The Trophy Nissan team members who contributed to the repairs were Eduardo Alvarez; Andy Chandler; Jackson Griffin; Noah Henderson; David Rodriguez; Francisco Rodriguez; and Kevin Nance.