Est. 1988
Est. 1988
Est. 1988
Earth Lady Programs were founded by the amazing Izolda Trakhtenberg to teach students about Earth Science and natural resources. Trakhtenberg or “Earth Lady” is a science collaborator at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. With all of her experience, she has made it her job to share her environmental-friendly experience with others and encourage people to go green, especially children. If you start teaching children young, they learn and carry those teachings with them throughout the rest of their life. The major reason for going green is to save the Earth and keep it as clean as possible for the generations to come. Trakhtenberg teaches a variety of workshops and programs to students to students in Greenbelt and Prince Georges County, Maryland but also travels all over the world.
Easterns Automotive Group got wind of some of the fabulous work that Earth Lady is doing with the students in the community and wanted to help out. With all the programs and workshops coming up, Earth Lady was in need of some supplies for her students. Easterns donated several items including educational thermometers, beakers, and paint. The students will get to use all of these during their upcoming workshop at Watkins Park. If you would like to find out more about Earth Lady and her workshops/programs for students, Click Here.
For the fourth year in a row, Easterns Automotive Group is supporting Loudoun County Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Lodge 69. With over 325,000 members and 2,100 lodges worldwide, the FOP is in fact the world’s biggest organization of sworn law enforcement officers. The purpose of the FOP is to protect the police officers from the dangers faced in today’s world. They continue to be a voice for officers that dedicate their lives to protective and serving the community. The FOP also fights for police officers to have better overall working conditions.
The best part about the Loudoun County FOP is their conscious effort to help other organizations to better the community as a whole. They support several organizations throughout the Loudoun County, Virginia community. One of the organizations is called Police Benevolent Foundation (FBF) whose job is protecting those behind the badge. They provide financial support to families of fallen law enforcement officers whose deaths occur in the line of duty. This is extremely important because many of us don’t think about how a family is supposed to move on financially after an officer is killed. The Cops and Kids Foundation is also supported by the FOP. The mission of the Cops and Kids Foundation is to bridge the gap between the community and the police by bringing law enforcement agencies together to start community programs for children.
Another organization that is supported by the FOP is the Loudoun Abused Women’s Shelter (LAWS). LAWS provides free, confidential services to anyone who is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or child abuse. Through LAWS, victims now have an outlet to get advice and seek help. The FOP supports the Loudoun Therapeutic Riding Foundation (LTRF) also. The purpose of LTFR is to improve the lives of people suffering with cognitive, physical, and psychological disabilities through a wide range of activities and therapies.
The FOP helps such a wide range of people through the various organizations mentioned above. It’s clear that the donation made by Easterns will be put to good use. Hopefully others are inspired to give back and do what they can to help others. If you would like to make a donation to the Loudoun County FOP, Click Here.
Over the course of 30+ years in business, Easterns Automotive Group continues to play an instrumental role in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) area through their philanthropic and community integration efforts.
Capital Caring is a bereavement program with several locations throughout the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area. The organization is based in Northern Virginia and specializes in providing bereavement services for families who have suffered a loss. They also provide care to people suffering with serious illnesses. Pay It Forward partners Fox 5 DC and Easterns Automotive Group decided to team up and lend Capital Caring a helping hand since they do so much for the community.
Back in December, the two came together to help the Parkland family who lost their daughter in a horrible car accident in Alabama. Capital Caring was helping the family at the time so Fox 5 DC and Easterns stepped in to give them a vehicle. The Parklands needed transportation to get around so a car is just what they needed. Everything went so well that the two partners didn’t want to stop there. Recently, Fox 5 DC and Easterns got word that the organization was in need of a truck. They stepped in to gift Capital Caring with a Dodge Ram so they can continue their mission to serve people in their community. Capital Caring delivers supplies and serves 1,400 patients in the region so this truck will definitely be put to good use.
“We want to help the community that has helped us for 30 years now. We worked with Capital Caring late last year and gave the Parkland family a car and fell in love with the organization, love what they are doing and found out they were in need of a truck and we want to fulfill that need and help them out and keep them going,” Joel Bassam with Easterns Automotive Group said.
To learn more about Capital Caring and their mission, please Click Here.
If you know someone who should be featured on Pay It Forward, You Can Nominate Them Here. In your email, be sure to include who they are and why they deserve to be recognized.
Easterns Automotive Group (Eastern Motors) serves the hard working men and women of the DC, Maryland, Virginia community. Please visit www.easterns.com to view the inventory and view all 6 locations. Find out why they are the #1 car dealership in the DMV!
Pay It Forward partners Easterns Automotive Group and Fox 5 DC partnered up once again to give back in the community. The non-profit organization that they chose to help is called HER Resiliency Center in Washington D.C. The overall mission for this center is to help local women find a second chance at life. Many of the members of HER have faced various struggles throughout their lives including living in shelters, non-stable families, and even homelessness. These are obstacles that no one should have to handle alone.
Natasha Guynes created HER Resiliency Center because she herself has faced life obstacles including being in the commercial sex industry, frequent drinking, drugs/homelessness. Guynes was able to overcome her difficult time with the help of DC’s social service agencies. The community of women there were able to help her get on her feet and make positive changes in her life. Once she got on her feet, she knew that there were other women in the same situation that she wanted to help. Guynes is now the CEO of her own non-profit organization that really does make a difference in people’s lives. The young women in the HER Resiliency Center program are assigned mentors to assist them with finding jobs and housing.
Fox 5 DC and Easterns Automotive Group (Eastern Motors) heard about the great things Guynes was doing with HER Resiliency Center and wanted to Pay It Forward. They teamed by by donating $2,000 and an SUV filled the supplies that were needed for the program. This will definitely go a long way.
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.
Watch the video to see the way everything unfolded.
Seasoned Settlers is a D.C.-based nonprofit organization that was created by Sweetz LaBamba. The organization provides entertainment and specialty entertainment for the youth as well as senior citizens. Whether it is range of motion, minute meditation, or reinforcing their therapeutic aspects, LaBamba knows the importance of helping others in the community. The live entertainment events hosted by Seasoned Settlers bring smiles to many faces all different ages and cultural backgrounds. The events are able to able to teach and inform as well as bring everyone attending together through music – the universal language. Seasoned Settlers hosts events at a variety of locations including schools, churches, universities, and various facilities. Through the organization, LaBamba has been able to open doors and provide unique volunteer opportunities for individuals looking to give back and make a difference in the community. However, in order to keep this great organization LaBamba needs donations from other members of the community. The donations would help Seasoned Setters get the supplies they need in order to continue providing entertainment.
Easterns Automotive Group heard about the great things that LaBamba is doing with Seasoned Setters and wanted to help out. LaBamba was in need additional supplies for her volunteers to fully execute the live events and provide exceptional quality. Easterns donated a Fender portable PA system, an HP laptop, and a Canon camera bundle. LaBamba, her incredible team, and students were so grateful for the items received that they decided to make Easterns a thank you video. Take a look below!
Easterns Automotive Group and Fox 5 DC recently came together to highlight a local woman who is helping to pay it forward to seniors of Washington D.C. Norma Hardie is the founder of a non-profit organization called Embracing Our Pearls of Wisdom. Hardie’s purpose for creating this non-profit was to help seniors in the District and surrounding areas with assistance or small things that they need. One great thing is that Hardie has loyal volunteers to help the seniors cook meals, run errors, and even clean. Older people need help sometimes and don’t always have the luxury of having a family member or friend to assist them.
It’s very important to recognize the needs of the elderly because they are the ones who raised the youth. A woman by the name of Arthalia Pumphrey receives excellent care from the volunteers that help her clean and keep her home in good shape. She suffers from really bad arthritis so it is difficult to walk at times. The volunteers believe in being patient with the seniors and take pride in showing them that they will forever be loved. We definitely could use more people like Hardie and her incredible volunteers in this world.
Fox 5 DC and Easterns Automotive Group caught wind of Hardie and what she has been doing with her volunteers at Our Pearls of Wisdom and wanted to pitch in and help. The Pay It Forward partners donated a $1,000 check, gifts for the seniors, and even gas cards to help with the volunteers travel.
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. Watch the video to how everything unfolded.
Today was a very special day for both Eastnerns Automotive Group and Fox 5 DC alike. The two Pay It Forward partners teamed up to highlight and give back to an amazing non-profit organization doing amazing work in the Maryland community. Unfortunately, every child does not have the luxury of just going in the fridge and grabbing something to eat. Many kids are not as fortunate depending on their parents’ financial situation and sometimes even other reasons. A group of dedicated volunteers came up with the idea to help feed the children in Montgomery County, Maryland that do not have enough to eat.
Katheen Sierra moved to Montgomery County from Prince George’s County close to two years ago. Since the move, her family has been struggling to make ends meet due to the cost of living increase. Luckily, the Sierras do receive free lunch at Highland Elementary School like many other families. The problem comes into play when these children are not in school because many of them are in homes with little to no food. However, the local volunteers from the Kids in Need Distributors (KIND) non-profit set out to change that. Jeremy Lichtenstein is a Montgomery County native that started KIND after hearing stories of children sometimes going an entire weekend without food. Both he and his volunteers thought this was unacceptable so every six weeks a group of volunteers go shopping at Costco and deliver food to 25 different schools. The food is packaged and put into students’ backpacks on Friday afternoons so they are able to eat during the weekends. Last year, KIND gave over 250,000 meals to 1,700 kids last year.
Although KIND is always seeking new volunteers, Lichtenstein said the biggest thing that they need right now is money to continue buying the food. Fox 5 DC and Easterns Automotive Group joined forces on Good Day DC to pay it forward to the volunteers of KIND for their dedication by feeding them, getting custom t-shirts made, and gifting them with gas cards to help out with travel expenses. Easterns also donated $1,000 to help KIND continue purchasing the food needed for the program.
For more information on how to help Kids In Need Distributors (KIND), click here.
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.
Pay It Forward partners Easterns Automotive Group and Fox 5 DC came together in the beginning of February to help out and highlight a great cause an a person that is doing great things in the community. They decided to Pay It Forward to Erica Sansing who is in charge of the “We The People” competition club for children at NE D.C’s Kelly Miller Middle School. The purpose of this club is around for schools around Washington D.C. to come together and discuss, and make arguments both for and against the supreme law of the United States. Students are encouraged to participate during their lunch period to prepare for the upcoming competition but are not required. Sansing selflessly gives up her personal lunch time to offer her expertise and spend this time with the children to discuss worldly issues. It’s a great chance for the children to get hands on experience and know what it is like to debate, argue their points, and listen to one another.
Fox 5 DC and Easterns Motors (Easterns Automotive Group) wanted to celebrate Sansing for her hard work. They presented her with a gift card to a spa for her to have some personal time and relax. The two Pay It Forward partners also rewarded her with a subscription to a snack delivery service. She was thrilled to receive this especially with her working during lunchtime. Joel Bassam of Easterns thought it was only right to also recognize the students of the cub as well. Each student was awarded a $200 gift card so they can look their best during the competition. The competition was just held on Februrary 13th at the Hill Center in SE, Washington, DC.
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.
Watch the video to how everything unfolded.
** Avoid during treacherous winter storms if possible but if you must travel, proceed with caution.
It’s that time of the week! We are back with another Throwback Thursday Clip of the Week presented by Easterns Automotive Group. This week, we have chosen to highlight none other than the cornerback for the Washington Redskins, Josh Norman. Easterns recruited Norman for commercials shortly after he signed his $75 million dollar deal with the Redskins. A deal that made him the highest paid cornerback in NFL history at the time. In this clip, Norman discusses the importance of believing yourself and working hard to overcome any fear or doubt. This is something that anyone can relate to despite their gender, race, or financial status. Norman’s teammates Kirk Cousins and Ryan Kerrigan also shot commercials both individually and together during this time. These three together make up what is known as the Easterns All Star Team.
Norman was a great addition to the Easterns family because of core values and what he represents both on and off the field. He understands the importance of hard work, dedication and being a part of the community. His reliability caused the DC, Maryland, and Virginia community to receive him with open arms. Easterns sells cars to the hard working men and women in the DMV area.
When it comes to Americans, there isn’t much that separates those old and young besides their age. The age gap actually allows for different conversations and various perspectives to be shared. This is exactly what Anjali Patel from Manassas, Virginia set out to teach her own kids as well as other local children. Patel created a non-profit organization by the name of Seeing i2i that pairs young students with a group of seniors to converse, engage, and eventually be friends. This is all done with the help of technology. Fox 5 DC and Easterns Automotive Group teamed up to Pay It Forward to Patel and her incredible organization.
The idea to create the non-profit stemmed from Patel’s children enjoying the time that they spent with their grandparents. She knew then that their was something special about that bond that was appreciated by both parties. Patel took it upon herself to create a website to test out on her neighborhood. The kids that participated enjoyed talking to their elders and wanted to do it more. With the help of technology, kids who currently participate are able to Skype residents at the Holiday Retirement Manassas Senior Living at the Fairmont. The seniors have adapted to using Skype and actually enjoy it. They get to engage with people of different backgrounds and talk about all aspects of life and have fun during the process. All it really takes is a few minutes to make a person’s day.
Eaterns and Fox 5 DC came together to Pay It Forward to Patel and Seeing i2i by gifting them Amazon Fire tablets so that they will be able to continue communicating with the seniors via Skype. They also donated gift cards to help plan an upcoming party that can bring the two age groups together.
Easterns Automotive Group has partnered with FOX 5 DC to help honor people in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia community who go above and beyond the call. If you know someone worthy if being recognized, Click Here to nominate them.
Easterns Automotive Group and Fox 5 DC set out to start 2018 with a bang! The two Pay It Forward partners recently came together to do some good in the community. They did so by surprising a group of seniors in Prince George’s County, Maryland. These seniors dedicate their time and energy by consistently coming to waterworks Zumba class at Sport Fit in Bowie, Maryland. It’s great to see that they are staying active and encouraged, despite their age. Clearly, the exercise along with having so much fun is what is keeping them young. The class is taught twice a week by Jewell Webb. She makes a conscience effort to keep the group motivated and encourages everyone to be positive. Webb has a unique prospective because she knows what is going on in all of her student’s lives. She sees various students going through the obstacles and challenges of life but still finding the time to give back and help others. Webb said that even she is inspired by her student’s selfless commitment to the community and their families.
Mouths dropped when Allison Seymour of Fox 5 DC walked in to the waterworks Zumba class with camera crews present alongside Joel Bassam, Director of Marketing for Easterns Automotive Group. The two teamed up to pay the January fees for all of the members so that they continue to stay motivated and strive to reach for their 2018 health and fitness goals. Everyone was thrilled and very appreciative of the generous deed.
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.
The holidays are a time of giving and helping those in need. Easterns Automotive Group and Fox 5 DC felt compelled to do just that with this family featured in this edition of Pay It Forward. The team got wind of Olivia Parkman, a Virginia mother of four, regarding a car accident that the family was involved in last year. The accident occurred on June 11th, 2016 in Alabama and resulted in the Parkmans losing their daughter in the crash. It has been over a year since her death, but of course the family is still struggling to heal. To make matters worse, the family has not had a car due to their previous vehicle being totaled in the crash. The money that they received from the insurance company was not nearly enough to get another car.
As a mother, Olivia is doing the best she can to stay strong for her 3 remaining children and provide the best possible life she can for them. Her sons have been receiving grief counseling through Capital Caring in Northern Virginia. Olivia would love to attend counseling as well but does not have the proper transportation to get there. The good folks at Capital Caring reached out to folks in the community to share her story and see if there was any way that people could help. Easterns Automotive Group received word about the Parkmans through Extreme Custom Collisions in Woodbridge, Virginia. Once they heard the story, they decided that they were going to do something special to make Christmas special for the Parkmans and help end their year on a great note. They donated a Honda Accord to the family to get back on their feet and provide the transportation that they need as a family.
When watching the video, you will see raw emotions because no one had any idea what was happening until it happened. Even Fox 5 DC’s Allison Seymour was both emotional and in shock because this was just truly a touching story. However, the surprise didn’t end there. Joel Bassam of Easterns Automotive Group also presented the boys with an official Washington Redskins football. The ball contained the signatures of Kirk Cousins, Josh Norman, and Ryan Kerrigan. He also gave them a basketball signed by the Washington Wizards own Bradley Beal. To top it all off, Joel gifted the entire family with tickets to both a Washington Redskins and a Washington Wizards game.
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.
Watch the video to see the way everything unfolded.
Eastern Motors and Fox 5 DC recently came together for a very special edition of Pay it Forward. The purpose of this paying it forward to this specific cause was to celebrate a young woman’s personal achievements and contributions to the community as her mother fights to keep her legacy alive. Jamahri Syndor was a very bright student that was preparing for college. She was loved not only by friends and family but also local members of the community. Many would agree with saying that Syndor was truly a special girl. She had just graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School where she was a cheer caption and member of the choir. As of that wasn’t enough, Syndor also found the time to have part-time job, volunteer with kids, and dance in a troupe.
August 10th, 2017 was the day that changed everything. This was the day that Syndor was shot by a stray bullet while driving through northeast D.C. This happened just days before she was scheduled to leave to attend college at Florida A&M University. Syndor passed away two days later and is survived by her mother, Queen Wallace, whom is a veteran police sergeant in the district. This has been quite devastation to the family but they are looking for a memorable way to “Pay It Forward” through the form of a foundation, scholarship, or dance program.
Fox 5 DC and Easterns Automotive Group received word about what happened to Sydnor and the legacy that she wanted to leave behind so they made a very special donation in her honor. The owner of artist of AA and Beek, Victor Barranco, created a very special memorial to honor Sydnor’s work with the children at Chevy Chase Community Center in northeast D.C. Francesca Scott, who is a program coordinator at the Chevy Chase Community Center accepted the art piece. Scott was able to speak candidly and provide insight as to just how much work Syndor and her sister did the kids. The two had planned and hosted the Valentine’s Day tea party every year for the kids. This story touched the Pay it Forward team so Joel Bassam of Easterns Automotive Group donated a total of $1,500 to the Chevy Chase Community Center to help out with the tea party and other holiday activities. Easterns also donated another $1,500 to the mother of Sydnor to officially kick-start the Jamahri Sydnor Memorial Fund. The overall goal of the fund will be to create a scholarship in Sydnor’s name to help heading to college in the D.C. metro area.
If you know someone in the DC, Maryland, or Virginia area that goes above and beyond the call and worthy of being recognized, CLICK HERE to nominate them.
It’s about that time again for another Pay It Forward segment brought to you by Easterns Automotive Group and Fox 5 DC. This segment highlights a very special nonprofit organization in the DC area. So What Else was created by Bob Schless and Dave Silbert. The two had a goal in mind and that was to provide after school and summer programs for underprivileged children. Together, they turned their dream into a reality and to date So What Else provides more than 40 hours of after school programs across the DMV area. It takes 1,000 volunteers to provide help for the 60 projects under the So What Else umbrella. Silbert and Schless are firm believers that it is very important to instill the important of giving back into the children at a young age so they will be inspired to pay it forward and help others.
One of the remarkable aspects of So What Helps is that they take a very different approach in terms of programming. The kids are involved in various different projects involving technology and innovation as well as providing a holistic approach. Some of the most recent projects included children building a park bench out of recyclables, collecting trash at a park, and creating art for sick children in the hospital.
The programs offered by So What Else are completely free for the children that attend. This is one of the reasons why Schless and Silbert want to make sure that the most deserving children are able to participate. Easterns and Fox 5 DC heard their story and the powerful things that they are doing in the community. The two Pay It Forward partners decided to present So What Else with a check for $1,500, yoga mats, snacks, and $200 extra dollars for a Christmas pizza party. The money from the check will help up to five children attend their camp. We must commend So What Else for the amazing work they are doing in the community.
Josh Norman of the Washington Redskins recently came to the Eastern Motors headquarters in Sterling, Virginia to film a series of commercial spots. He really believes in the Easterns brand and is very excited to have another family that extends beyond the Redskins organization. Of course, Norman didn’t come alone. He came with two of his teammates, Ryan Kerrigan and Kirk Cousins. The three of them collectively make up what is known as the Easterns All Star Team. Whenever Easterns can manage to get these guys together off the field, you can be sure there will be nothing but laughter and good times. They each shot their own individual commercials that will be posted in the next few weeks but we first wanted to share Norman’s 6 Seconds. This is just a brief introduction and a small preview of many come. Stay tuned for more!
Please visit www.easterns.com to find out why Easterns is the #1 car dealership choice for residents in the DMV (DC, Maryland, and Virginia).
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