The National Auto Body Council (NABC), along with GEICO, Carolinas Collision Capital Ford and Crash Champions, recently donated refurbished vehicles to two deserving Charlotte veterans to provide them independence and the ability to work and take care of their families.
The presentation was held at the I-CAR East Zone meeting at Charlotte Marriott City Center. The deserving recipients were selected by the Veterans Administration, Salisbury, N.C. and the Mecklenburg County Veteran Service Office.
“We are honored to be able to give back to our veterans who have given so much to our country,” said Gene Caburian, auto damage performance analyst, Compliance and Quality Assurance Team, GEICO. “We are grateful to Carolinas Collision Capital Ford and Crash Champions for their support and partnership in this program.”
The recipients included:
- Aaron Velazquez, a U.S. Marine veteran, who received a 2019 Hyundai Sonata. The car will allow him to take employment opportunities that will help him move from his current housing program.
- Cyril Smith, a U.S. Army veteran and father of three children, who received a 2018 Hyundai Elantra. Smith was struggling with housing and needed reliable transportation to continue working at his current job. He was working two jobs, but due to conflicting hours, he had to leave one job. His current vehicle needed a lot of work, and he was unable to afford the price of the repairs.
“I am extremely grateful to NABC and their members,” said Smith. “This car will allow me to continue working and providing for my family. I was struggling with housing and transportation, but this donation has given me hope and a new lease on life. Thank you so much for the generosity and support.”
Additional partners in the presentation included 1-800 Charity Cars; Enterprise; Headlight Depot; Premier Services; Copart; Back2New Auto Reconditioning; McGee Brothers Automotive; Keystone; Fort Mill Hyundai; and D&M Wrecker Service.
For more information on Recycled Rides, click here.
