Mike’s Auto Body, a multi-shop operator located in the Bay Area of California, announced that it presented five vehicles on Dec. 14th to five deserving families at their new ADAC Antioch location, making it their third benevolence presentation in 2016 and bringing their grand total of cars donated to 66 over 16 years.

The body and paint technicians at Mike’s Auto Body donated their time and talents to refurbish the cars, using all donated items including parts, paint, mechanical inspections, tires and one year of insurance donated by insurers such as  CSAA Insurance Group, Farmers, Safeco and State Farm. Enterprise Rent-A-Car was also a participant in Mike’s Benevolence Program.

“We feel very fortunate to be involved with such a wonderful program and are very excited to be able to give back to the community that has supported us for the past 44 years,” said Mike’s Auto Body Owner Mike Rose. “Being in this business for that long, repairing the vehicles is the easy part. Having to decide on a recipient is the part that’s hard. After receiving hundreds of applications over the years and reading the heartbreaking stories, we only wish that we could do more. But hopefully with increased publicity of our Benevolence Program, other shops will adopt a similar program of their own.”

Again this year, the Contra Costa Fire Fighters Local 1230, Fire Station 81 donated brand new bicycles for all the children and grandchildren of the recipients.

“They brought their fire trucks and fire engines and had them parked in our parking lot during the presentation,” Program Coordinator Sal Contreras said. “When they presented the bikes to the children, it was hard to determine who was the most excited, the recipients receiving the car or the children receiving the bikes! The Christmas Spirit was in the air!”

Recipients for this year’s Holiday Benevolence Program included:

• Connie Mendoza and her three children, who received a 2012 Chevy Cruze that Farmers Insurance donated. The family was sponsored by the Hemophilia Foundation of Northern California. Mendoza’s youngest son has severe hemophilia, and this vehicle will help the family get him to his doctor’s appointments.
• Zanetta Fredericks and her daughter with one nine-month old daughter, who received a 2011 Honda Civic LX that State Farm donated. The family was sponsored by St. Vincent de Paul.
• The Community Action North Bay non-profit organization, which received a 2015 Dodge Journey from Enterprise Rent-A-Car. This organization provides shared transportation to veterans and affordable housing and supportive services to veterans through various programs.
• Veteran TeJae Dunnivant and her son, who received a 2014 VW Jetta from CSAA Insurance that was sponsored by the Blue Star Moms. Dunnivart works at Cal Vet at the University of California, Berkeley, so her new vehicle will make life easier for herself and her son.
• Rose Duarte and her grandson, who received a 2010 Honda Civic that was donated by Safeco and sponsored by STAND For Families Free of Violence.