The Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of New Jersey (AASP/NJ) announced that member Jason Boggs of Boggs Auto Collision Rebuilders in Woodbury gifted a 2010 Mercury Milan to Dennis Snow, a needy West Deptford resident.
“[Dennis] rides his bike to work every day; he was trying to save up for a car but was having trouble doing so,” said Boggs. “We did some background research, talked to his boss and coworkers and realized he was the right fit. Each year, someone just seems to rise way above the rest as the standout candidate for the vehicle, and it’s usually an easy decision.”
Snow also received a $1,000 gas gift card from Enterprise Rent-A-Car as well as a year’s worth of vehicle insurance.
Boggs was at a 20 Group meeting 16 years ago when he learned about a body shop on the West Coast that had repaired a totaled vehicle through AkzoNobel’s Benevolence Program and gave it to someone who was in need of transportation.
“We thought, ‘What a wonderful idea,'” said Boggs. “What a way to lift up the industry and do something good for the community. It was something we were capable of doing, so we jumped on board.”
Since then, Boggs has donated a vehicle to a well-deserving recipient in the area each December.
Boggs works largely with local churches, schools and organizations to learn about potential recipients. The shop gives away vehicles that are almost always totaled and headed to a salvage yard. Boggs works with the original owners and insurers to buy them back. From there, his team assesses the repairs needed. While vendors have donated paint and materials in the past, the shop itself has taken on purchasing what is needed to repair the vehicles in recent years.
“We just think this is such a great thing for the industry,” said Boggs. “Anyone in the automotive industry can usually find a car with some life left that needs some TLC. We hope others will get the message that they can do this too or be part of helping this continue. The donation day is always our favorite day of the year.”
For more information on AASP/NJ, visit aaspnj.org.
