The National Auto Body Council (NABC) donated four Recycled Rides to local individuals and an organization in need during two presentations held Thursday, July 31 and Friday, Aug. 1 at NACE | CARS.
The recipients were:
- Ernest Matthews, a U.S. military veteran nominated by the Michigan Veterans Association who received a refurbished 2007 Saturn Outlook XR to help him get to a new job and college classes. The vehicle was donated by Allstate and repaired by Service King in Livonia.
- Latoya Seales, a widowed mother of two who was rendered homeless after her husband’s untimely death and was nominated by Family Promise of Genesee County. She received a refurbished 2010 Hyundai Sonata donated by Allstate and repaired by Tech-Cor Collision Repair Center.
- Deb Gregory, a survivor of domestic abuse who will use her 2012 Chrysler 200LX to find stable employment and eventually take college courses. The vehicle was donated by Hertz and Collision Craftsmen.
- Family Promise of Greater Toledo, an organization that serves as an emergency homeless shelter for families. The organization’s mission is to keep homeless families together while providing the necessary tools to transition them from homelessness to self-sufficiency. The 2005 Nissan Quest that was donated by Geico and Butler’s Collision will help transport clients to job interviews and medical visits.
Upon receiving the keys to their vehicles, the recipients took some time to give thanks to their donors, nominating organizations and the NABC. One of Seales’ sons even grabbed the microphone to sing a few verses of "I Believe I Can Fly," which brought some audience members to tears.
"We truly believe that the recipients’ lives will be changed by these vehicles," said Nick Notte, chairman of Recycled Rides.
The NABC has donated more than a thousand Recycled Rides nationwide to people and organizations in need.
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