The National Auto Body Council (NABC) announced that Service King-Fredericksburg and GEICO recently donated a refurbished 2015 Ford Fusion to Keesha Wright, a Fredericksburg, Va., resident.
The presentation was held at Rappahannock United Way’s office in Spotsylvania, Va. Steve Moore, general manager of Service King, attended and helped unveil the car. Janel Donohue, president of Rappahannock United Way, gave Wright the keys to her new car. Wright was nominated by Margaret Kennerly of Mary Washington Healthcare, who treated Wright’s daughter Chelsea, 27, after a car accident which totaled her car and left her disabled.
Wright, formerly a security guard at Mary Washington Healthcare, left her position to be the full-time caregiver for her daughter and her children. She moved to accommodate her family’s growing needs, which left her further from the city and more reliant on her car. When her car caught fire and was totaled, she was unable to afford a new vehicle. This meant she had to pay for local transportation to go to the grocery store, handle medical appointments and take care of family errands.
“This car will give me increased independence and financial stability for my family,” said Wright. “In addition to giving me transportation for my family, a car offers me the options to eventually get a better paying job and get health benefits for myself and my family. A car may offer me options to work outside the home while hiring someone through Medicaid to care for my daughter.”
The process to refurbish the vehicle for Wright began last year, but was made challenging by the closure of local DMV offices due to COVID. Rappahannock United Way helped fill the gap by providing holiday gifts and decorations and handling the sales tax, local tax and titling of the car.
“Since the NABC Recycled Rides program was founded in 2007, we’ve been proud to present more than 2,600 vehicles to deserving recipients and their families,” said Sandi Freeman, program manager for the NABC Recycled Rides Program. “We’re honored to present this vehicle to Keesha Wright and her family, and hope it helps convey them on their continued path to independence and success. We applaud Service King, GEICO and the Rappahannock United Way for their diligence in guiding this vehicle through the unique titling process of our current time, and for continuing to provide support to Keesha and her family throughout.”
Recycled Rides is a 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 2,600 vehicles valued at more than $36 million.
Additional partners in the presentation included 1-800 Charity Cars.
