Connersville Marine Veteran Receives Life-Changing Vehicle Donation
CONNERSVILLE, Ind. – A local Marine Corps veteran who dedicated her post-service life to assisting fellow former service members will receive a boost to her mission this Tuesday.
Tiffany Bell, a Connersville resident and two-time combat veteran, is set to be gifted a fully refurbished 2021 Honda Pilot SE. The donation comes at a critical time for Bell; her current vehicle has faced mounting mechanical issues with repair costs totaling thousands of dollars.
Bell served in the United States Marine Corps from 2005 to 2009, completing two dangerous combat deployments to Iraq. Now service-connected disabled, she has remained a staple in the Indiana veteran community. She frequently volunteers to drive fellow veterans to their VA medical appointments and provides peer support for those navigating mental health services.
The donation was made possible through the NABC Recycled Rides® program, a national initiative where insurance companies, repair shops, and parts suppliers collaborate to provide reliable transportation to those in need. The vehicle was donated by GEICO and underwent extensive refurbishment by technicians at CARSTAR Gulley’s Auto Body in Connersville. Bell was nominated for the gift by the Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA).
“Tiffany has consistently put the needs of other veterans before her own,” organizers said in a statement. “This vehicle ensures she can continue her vital work without the looming fear of a breakdown.” Since its launch in 2007, the NABC Recycled Rides® program has donated more than 3,750 vehicles—valued at approximately $67 million—to veterans, first responders, and families across the country.
About the National Auto Body Council®:
The National Auto Body Council® 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 more than 3,750 vehicles valued at more than $67 million and provided extrication opportunities for some 7,000 First Responders in communities around the country through NABC Recycled Rides® and NABC First Responder Emergency Extrication (F.R.E.E.™). That effort equates to a 4:1 ROI in dollar value delivered from NABC® membership dollars.
The NABC Changing and Saving Lives Foundation, a 501c3 organization, is committed to the goal of driving change for veterans, military members, first responders and families in need, while harnessing the power of the collective membership of the collision repair industry to positively impact communities where we live and work. As demand for NABC® programs like NABC Recycled Rides® and NABC F.R.E.E.™ grows, so do the needs for resources to manage these important programs. Being able to pursue grants, gifts and donations allows NABC to expand these programs to serve those in need and help communities where we live and work. For more information, visit http://www.nationalautobodycouncil.org/ .
