Happy Holidays From Holmes Body Shop!

Happy Holidays from Holmes Body Shop!

Changing lives with Recycled Rides-Our story of holiday giving.

We're a family-owned collision repair company that fixes damaged cars and motorcycles so taking part in the National Auto Body Council’s program called ‘Recycled Rides’ was right up our alley. We were able to make this a holiday season that one needy family the San Gabriel Valley will never forget.

The Williams family had no idea what they were in for, as they stepped into the headquarters of our Holmes Body Shop and Holmes Powersports business in Pasadena. They thought they were tagging along with a non-profit group called Door of Hope, picking up tickets for Pasadena's famed Rose Parade. Door of Hope is a faith based non-profit organization that helps homeless families rebuild their lives and get off the streets. The Williams’ are recent graduates from their program and are now in a home of their own.

But Jamar and Amber didn't know we were setting them up for something more. They weren't just tagging along; we actually were bringing them to Holmes Body Shop for an early Christmas. After entering the building from a side door, I steered them out the front door, and face-to-face with two dozen Holmes body shop technicians and staffers applauding them, and standing on either side of a fully refurbished 2009 Nissan Versa. The car, with a bright green bow on the windshield, was our gift to them.

“I couldn't wait to see the expressions on their faces,” said owner Tom Holmes “And how they'd react.” The Williams reacted with joy. Jamar ran around the crowd, giving and getting high fives from our body shop staff that volunteered their time and talents to repair the car, the vendors who donated materials and insurance company that donated the car that, otherwise, might have been towed to a junkyard.

This is our first year to take part in the 'Recycled Rides' program. We chose Door of Hope to find the right family. The organization's executive director, Tim Peters, said Jamar and Amber weren't looking for a free ride; they were trying hard to make a better life for themselves and their son, and needed a way to get to their jobs.

To Amber, the surprise of a car was like her “Thanksgiving, birthday and Christmas all rolled into one. It's an overflow of a blessing.” As a stocking stuffer, Holmes Body Shop and Holmes Powersports gave the Williams tickets to the Rose Parade. They can drive themselves, to get there.

This year we tried a new way to give, and got to surprise a family with the gift of a car, just for them, to drive themselves toward a more successful future.

If you would like to see the CBSLA and KCAL9 news story about the give-away please click on this link: http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/video/6478254-pasadena-car-shop-gives-away-car-to-those-in-need/

For information about Recycled Rides visit http://www.autobodycouncil.org