NABC Recylced Rides, Allstate, CARSTAR present Florida families with vehicles

The vehicle presentation marked a major milestone for the National Auto Body Council® – the 2,500th NABC Recycled Ride® presented to a deserving recipient since the program began 13 years ago. To date, the program has mobilized thousands of recipients and their families, helping them reclaim their independence, confidence and self-reliance. The value of the 2,500 donated vehicles is approximately $36 million.

The 2,500th NABC Recycled Rides® presentation was held at CARSTAR Autobody Resurrection in Lakeland, FL. “It is truly amazing to have experienced hundreds of presentations of NABC Recycled Rides® over the years, and to culminate with this gifting of the 2,500th vehicle today in Lakeland, FL,” said Bill Garoutte, president and CEO of the National Auto Body Council®. “We are honored to recognize these two deserving recipients today as part of tour 2,500th presentation celebration, and are proud to have played a part in helping thousands of other families achieve independence through reliable transportation over the years.” “As a company dedicated to being ‘a force for good’ in the communities we proudly serve, Allstate is honored to donate the vehicles that will not only transport, but ultimately, transform the lives of these deserving individuals,” said Mary Haban, Senior Communications Consultant for Allstate. “We are honored to partner with NABC Recycled Rides® for this momentous milestone and look forward to changing even more lives with additional vehicle donations in the years to come.” The recipients included: The deserving recipient of the 2,500th vehicle – Temisha Stockton,

a single mother with two young children – was nominated by Manatee Hope. The Bradenton, FL-native, is caring for both children’s speech and physical therapy needs, and working her way to independence. The family just moved into their apartment several  weeks ago and are very excited to have their own place. This will be the very first car for Stockton. “This means everything to me,” said Stockton. “This will make a tremendous difference in getting my kids to their therapy and doctors’ appointments, running errands and managing our lives. Now, I can get them to daycare, and that means I can go back to work. I used to work in a nursing home and really enjoyed that.  I’m hoping to return to work in that area so I can continue to provide for my kids.”

The second recipient – Ernest Cribbs, a U.S. Army veteran – was nominated by St. Vincent de Paul Society. Cribbs has faced several health and employment battles, but working with the SSVF Program, is on a positive path. Cribbs was living in the Lighthouse Ministries Shelter Program until the SSVF Program was able to obtain permanent housing. He works for the Lakeland Ledger, and has continued working but was diagnosed with a treatable cancer last fall and faced challenges with his health care coverage. When he was nominated for the NABC Recycled Rides® program, SSVF Delivering Dreams Fund helped him cover his registration fees. Now, he can safely travel to work and medical appointments. “I am surprised, shocked and most of all, blessed,” said Cribbs. “I have to put God first in all of this. Then John Querk from St. Vincent de Paul Society. Without him, none of this would have happened. He has really helped me, and he submitted my name and told me not to worry. Now, I don’t have to take the bus or ride my bike to work. I can drive to work, stay late and work on weekends. And, I can go visit my sick mother-in-law and get to church more often.” “We have been involved in the NABC Recycled Rides program for a number of years, and it’s a tremendous honor to host the 2,500thNABC Recycled Rides gifting,” said Fred Haberl, owner of CARSTAR Autobody Resurrection. “We are excited to partner with Allstate to refurbish these two vehicles and help provide this deserving family and deserving veteran reliable transportation so they can continue to improve their lives and independence. We also thank all of the partners who helped make this event possible.” NABC Recycled Rides® is a unique 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 NABC Recycled Rides® program in 2007, members of the National Auto Body Council have donated some 2,500 vehicles valued at more than $36 million. Additional partners in the NABC Recycled Rides® presentation included 1-800 Charity Cars, Keystone, LKQ, Infiniti of Tampa, All Pro Auto Parts, J&B Auto Upholstery, Ben’s Paint Supply, CFAA, OE Parts Direct, PPG, ARC Towing Service and Enterprise.About Allstate Allstate is one of the nation’s largest insurers with 136 million policies in force, protecting cars, homes, motorcycles, lives, personal devices and identities. Its products are sold through Allstate agents, independent agents, call centers, online, major retailers and voluntary benefits brokers. The company harnesses the talent of approximately 88,000 Allstaters. It recently was included in the Drucker Institute list of the nation’s 250 best managed companies. To learn more visit Allstate.com.About CARSTAR  CARSTAR is North America’s largest franchise network of independently owned and operated collision repair facilities with more than 700 locations in 35 states and 10 Canadian provinces. A part of the Driven Brands family of automotive aftermarket franchise brands, CARSTAR delivers national scale, premier vehicle repairs, repeatable outcomes and the industry’s highest customer satisfaction ratings. CARSTAR has maintained its commitment to give back to the communities it serves through a variety of fundraising initiatives, including raising over $4 million for cystic fibrosis research, care and advocacy across North America. CARSTAR is actively seeking new franchise partners and interested parties should contact 844-906-9764 or visit CARSTARfranchise.com.ABOUT THE NATIONAL AUTO BODY COUNCIL® The National Auto Body Council®, celebrating its’ 25th anniversary in 2020, is the premier organization of collision industry partners dedicated to strategic networking opportunities that positively change lives in the communities we serve. The collaborative membership of the National Auto Body Council® has gifted some 2,500 vehicles, provided extrication opportunities for more than 3,800 First Responders and contributed to thousands of distracted driving pledges in communities through NABC Recycled Rides®, NABC First Responder Emergency Extrication (F.R.E.E.™) and the NABC Distracted Driving Initiative™. That effort equates to a 4:1 ROI in dollar value delivered from NABC™ membership dollars. The National Auto Body Council® is changing the paradigm of how the collision industry works and is viewed. For more information, visit www.NationalAutoBodyCouncil.org.