A disabled U.S. Army veteran received a life-changing gift -- a fully refurbished 2019 Jeep Compass -- through the National Auto Body Council (NABC) Recycled Rides program. The vehicle was presented to Nikkitris Jones, a single mother raising her grandchildren, in collaboration with car donor GEICO and repair partner Gerber Collision & Glass of Marietta, GA.
The family's only vehicle was destroyed in an accident caused by an uninsured driver, leaving Jones and her family struggling to attend medical appointments and perform daily tasks. Southern Crescent Veterans Services, a nonprofit supporting veterans, nominated Jones for the donation, recognizing her critical need for reliable transportation.
“I’m so happy -- you just don’t know,” said Jones at the presentation ceremony. “The children were so excited. They ran around like they had just won the lottery.”
She added most of her earnings had been going to hiring rides, so it’s not only a matter of having transportation now, but also a matter of being able to have money to pay for the needs of her children and grandchildren who range in age from a few months to college.
The NABC Recycled Rides program brings together businesses from across the collision repair industry to repair and donate vehicles to individuals and families in need. Since its inception in 2007, the program has donated more than 3,300 vehicles valued at approximately $47 million.
Additional partners in this vehicle donation included Cars for Charity, Advanced Remarketing Services, Copart, Enterprise, LKQ, Keystone, AutoZone, Longhouse Inventory Solutions, Troncalli and INA Towing Network.
