Easterns Blog

Happy New Year! We hope that everyone is having a good start to the year despite all the craziness going on in the world.? To those affected by the government shutdown, please know that you are in our thoughts and prayers.? In fact, Easterns Automotive Group announced that they will be donating $10,000 each week to two local Loudoun County food banks until the shutdown is over.? The overall goal is to help feed all the families that are currently without pay.? Being a part of the community for over 30 years, giving back is a huge part of Easterns? DNA.

Easterns and Fox 5 DC recently had their very first Pay It Forward collaboration for 2019.? The two became aware of a Northern Virginia woman by the name of Patricia Funegra.? She was working for an international development agency in Washington D.C. where she quit her job because she realized her passion was to impact her community.? This decision birthed her nonprofit organization called La Cocina VA.? Their mission is to create opportunities for social and economic change through feeding, educating, and empowering the minds of the community.? La Cocina VA has a Culinary Training Program where they teach those unemployed the necessary skills and knowledge they need to work in the food service industry.? They also have a Food Assistance Program where they help low income families have access to more healthy and affordable food options. ?The bigger picture is that there is power in food that can generate opportunities and create social and economic change.

Funegra is doing such amazing work in the community with LA Cocina VA that Easterns and Fox 5 DC decided to surprise them.? Joel Bassam, Director of Marketing for Easterns Automotive Group presented La Cocina VA with a $1,000 check to contribute to all of their expenses.? He also gifted the students with cast-ironed pots, recipe books, and $50 gift cards.? The holidays may be over but the giving certainly doesn?t stop!

Please click here and take some time out of your day to learn more about La Cocina VA. Find out how you can invest, donate, or volunteer if you would like to be a part of their amazing family.

If you know someone in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area that goes above and beyond the call and is worthy of being recognized, Click here to nominate them.

?