The National Auto Body Council (NABC), along with car donor USAA and repair partner Caliber Collision, recently donated refurbished vehicles to two female San Antonio veterans via the NABC’s Recycled Rides program.
The presentation was held on May 1, 2023 as part of the Women’s Industry Network Educational Conference at the San Antonio Westin River Walk hotel. It is the second annual NABC Recycled Rides presentation at the WIN Conference. The all-female Junior ROTC Color Guard from Johnston High School presented the colors for the event.
“It is an honor to partner with WIN again to present NABC Recycled Rides vehicles to families and veterans in need,” said Jennifer Hubbard, manager, Dealer Client Engagement, Automotive Services Group, for CCC Intelligent Solutions, NABC board member and the secretary of the NABC executive committee. “We wish Sequoyia and Vanessa and their families all the best on their continued path to independence.”
The recipients were selected by Grace After Fire and Soldiers’ Angels, respectively:
- Sequoyia Hurt, who served in the U.S. Army Reserves from 2009 to 2017, is a mother of four and cares for her disabled husband. They are working to launch a home-based business. They lost their car to an accident a year ago and had been challenged to find safe, affordable transportation since then. The gift of a 2017 Honda CRV will allow Sequoyia to care for her family, manage medical appointments and get her children to school activities.
- Vanessa Hernandez, a single mother of three, served in the U.S. Army from 2008 to 2018. She has overcome homelessness but still faces challenges with transportation. She currently takes the bus with her three children to shop, go to medical appointments and take her older children to school. She would like to get a full-time job, and the gift of a 2017 Mazda CX5 will allow her to return to work, take her baby to daycare and care for her older children.
“This is amazing, it’s truly a blessing,” said Hernandez. “It’s been such a struggle with my family but we keep working to overcome our challenges. This vehicle will really help us a family. And, it will be a tremendous help in getting back to work.”
Additional partners in the presentation include 1-800 Charity Cars; Enterprise; Caliber Auto Care; Protec; IPAC Mazda; Dents and Dings; and Axalta.
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 program in 2007, NABC members have donated more than 3,000 vehicles valued at some $42 million.
For more information on Recycled Rides, click here.
