4.24.23 – Year after year, the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of New Jersey’s (AASP/NJ) flagship event – the NORTHEAST Automotive Services Show – never ceases to leave people with memorable experiences. This year, one participant walked – or in this case – drove away with new mobility toward his future.

For the second year in a row, the National Auto Body Council (NABC) brought members of the industry together on the NORTHEAST show floor at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, NJ as they gifted a Recycled Rides vehicle to young deserving local New Jersey veteran Timothy Awojobi, who served seven years overseas as a member of the Air Force.

NABC Board member Keith Egan thanked AASP/NJ for once again providing them the opportunity to make this special presentation. Since the program began in 2007, NABC gives away roughly 350 Recycled Rides vehicles a year around the country.

“It’s one of those feel-good programs,” shared Egan, as NORTHEAST attendees gathered to watch the vehicle unveiling. “There is no monetary gain or value; all we want to do is help positively impact people’s lives.”

Egan thanked AASP/NJ member shop Benner’s Auto Body (Cranford), GEICO and Enterprise for their continued support in helping to make gifting these cars to worthy recipients possible. Awojobi was gifted a 2017 Toyota RAV4.

“When I came home last year, I was homeless,” revealed Awojobi. “You would think a veteran would not come back and be homeless, but it happens and it’s sad. But this is the best country in the world, and I would serve again. I thank God for the Department of Veterans which nominates veterans for opportunities to get cars and housing.

“You are all my supporters,” Awojobi emotionally added, pointing to all those involved in gifting the vehicle. “I am no longer homeless, and I now have a vehicle. Thank you all for everything.”

“It’s a huge honor for our staff to be part of this program,” expressed Joseph O’Neill of Benner’s Auto Body. “The body shop industry is really thriving, and our whole aura is about what we can give back to the community. It’s great to make money, but we are not overseas; we aren’t protecting our country. We are just working our normal nine to five, so anything we can do to support our veterans, we will do because we truly believe in the sacrifices they make. We fix cars, so it was the perfect match when NABC and GEICO brought us into the Recycled Rides program, and we will continue to do this as long as they have us.”

Awojobi also received $1,000 from Enterprise Rent-A-Car toward insurance and gasoline as he gets back on the road with his Recycled Ride.

Check out the April issue of New Jersey Automotive for a full recap of NORTHEAST 2023, available at grecopublishing.com/new-jersey-automotive-april-2023/.

Plans are underway for NORTHEAST 2024, scheduled for March 15-17, 2024 at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, NJ. Visit aaspnjnortheast.com for updates on next year’s event as they become available. For more information on AASP/NJ, visit aaspnj.org.