11.2.26 – October 23 was a special day for a well-deserving Recycled Rides recipient and it all started with the vision of one very dedicated Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of New Jersey (AASP/NJ) member.
Adele Rivas (Koplin Auto Body; Elizabeth, NJ) is passionate about encouraging young people to take up careers in automotive. She’s also strongly devoted to helping people in the community. Her efforts led to a National Auto Body Council Recycled Rides presentation to one well-deserving mother of two who received a vehicle restored by collision repair students from Thomas A. Edison Career & Technical Academy in Elizabeth.
Members of the school community, township, county and many others gathered at Thomas A. Edison Career & Technical Academy to witness Elyssa Pallares receive the newly repaired and restored a 2021 Kia Forte donated by GEICO. A dedicated employee at the United Way of Greater Union County, Pallares spent months struggling with unreliable transportation – often repairing her vehicle during lunch breaks just to commute to work and care for her family.
In addition to orchestrating the restoration project with the vocational academy, Koplin Auto Body covered Pallares’ vehicle registration, DMV arrangements, transportation accommodations, and six months of auto insurance to ensure a seamless transition into safe, dependable driving
“Through automotive, we can build careers for students in our communities,” said Rivas. “We are starting here in Elizabeth, but every body shop and every dealership should pick a school with an automotive program and team up with the instructors and students. In every community across the state, we have the opportunity to develop a team of bright young professionals.”
Rivas, who began her own career serving coffee and learning administrative and customer service roles before rising to ownership, emphasized that the trade offers viable, upwardly mobile career paths for the next generation.
For the vocational students, the project provided hands-on technical training combined with tangible community impact.
“This wasn’t just another assignment; this was a real project with real purpose,” said Joe Amabile, auto collision instructor at Thomas A. Edison Career & Technical Academy. “They had the opportunity to put their skills to work and understand what it means to be part of something bigger than themselves. What I’m most proud of isn’t just the work that went into restoring the vehicle – it was watching my students take responsibility, work together and realize that what they learn in the shop can actually change someone’s life.”
An emotional Pallares expressed deep gratitude to the repair team, instructors and Koplin Auto Body for recognizing her daily struggles and providing relief.
Be sure to look for full coverage in the November issue of New Jersey Automotive magazine available at grecopublishing.com.
For more information about AASP/NJ programs, events, and industry initiatives, visit aaspnj.org.
