Recycled Rides™ is Changing Lives, One Car at a Time
January 31, 2018
Most of us take our cars for granted. We simply get in, start the engine, and go wherever we need to go, whenever we need to get there. Can you even imagine how difficult your life would be without your own means of transportation?
Thanks to a program called Recycled Rides™, deserving veterans across the country are receiving much-needed vehicles. Members of the National Auto Body Council (NABC) representing companies in the collision repair industry – Insurers, rental car companies, collision repairers, paint suppliers, parts vendors, etc.– pool their talents and resources to refurbish and then donate vehicles to individuals or organizations within their community through Recycled Rides™.
Caliber Collision, a National Auto Body Council member, understands how important it is for our nation’s heroes to have access to transportation for their transition to civilian life. In 2017, Soldiers’ Angels was proud to partner with Caliber Collision to donate 8 Recycled Rides vehicles to deserving veterans. Esther and Jason were just two of the lives that were touched by this amazing program.
In 2018, Soldiers’ Angels and Recycled Rides™ are back at it with the hopes of changing even more veteran lives. The first car giveaway of the year happened on January 11th, 2018 in San Jose, California and we are looking forward to more to come this year.
January 11th, 2018 in San Jose, California
Craig served in the US Marine Corps from 1983 – 1996. He deployed seven times including the Persian Gulf and Somalia. He is in the process of a divorce currently but has three children. One is in the Army and trying to become a Green Beret and he also has 11-year-old twins. Due to the divorce, the ex-wife and twins are moving out of state. Craig is in long-term treatment currently for PTSD at Menlo Park. Once completed, he wants to move closer to his ex-wife in children who are moving to Washington State. Craig currently is 70% disabled and living on his disability income. They are hoping to get his disability increased to 100% upon completion of the PTSD program.
June 14th, 2018 in Seattle, Washington
Leon is a 29-year-old Army Veteran who is in desperate need of a vehicle to transport himself to work and his children to school. Leon was enrolled in the HUD-VASH program in Seattle. He and his family were previously living out of their vehicle for several months. Unfortunately, their vehicle was totaled in an accident and they were left without shelter. He has located an apartment in Seattle for his family and, if accepted, he will be able to sign a lease soon. Thankfully, they were able to find assistance to cover a motel stay until they were able to get into an apartment. During the time Leon was without a vehicle, it took him 2 hours to get to work each day due to bus transfers. He wakes up at 4 am in order to ensure his children get to school and he gets to work on time. Leon recently received a promotion at his job which will help the family immensely. With an increase of income and permanent housing on the horizon, the only missing piece for Leon and his family was a reliable car. Thanks to Recycled Rides and Geico, that missing piece was provided for the family on June 14th, 2018.
