Est. 1988
Est. 1988
Est. 1988
With 2019 in full effect, Easterns Automotive Group and Fox 5 DC continue to push the envelope and find new ways to make an impact in the community. As soon as the Pay It Forward partners got wind of a Prince George’s County woman by the name of Rhonda Stewart, they wanted to help. Stewart was diagnosed with cancer and has just finished her final round of chemotherapy at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington DC. She was there for over a month and during that time she was able to process her thoughts and put many things into prospective. We hear about people having cancer all the time but it is impossible to understand the severity until It affects you or someone close. Luckily for Stewart, she was surrounded by family, friends, and loved ones who gave her the support and encouragement she needed to overcome this tough time in her life. “My message would be to be thankful for everything and be thankful for the love and support,” Stewart said. Hearing her words reminds us all to be grateful for any and everything because what happened to her can happen to anyone.
Easterns Automotive Group and Fox 5 DC decided to Pay It Forward to Stewart on the last day of her chemo treatment. Allison Seymour of Fox 5 DC and Joel Bassam of Easterns met Stewart at Sibley Memorial Hospital where they surprised her with a girl’s trip to the National Harbor with a spa day, dinner, and a Ferris wheel ride. Hopefully this fun time out will be the extra boost she needs after fighting so hard for her life. We wish Stewart and her family all the best and encourage anyone facing obstacles or going through a hard time to never give up. Tough times don’t last forever!
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.
The government shutdown is over (temporarily)! This is such great news to the tens of thousands of federal workers that were affected by this. Federal employees were expected to work during the 35 day shutdown without receiving any pay. Many had to take out loans and open new credit cards just to live, eat, and keep their bills paid. A few weeks ago, Easterns Automotive Group teamed up to donate $10,000 a week to two Loudoun County food pantries to help feed local families that were in need due to the shutdown. Even though the shutdown is over for now, the recovery process does not stop. Families still need time to get back on their feet. Easterns partnered with WUSA 9 on their Get Up DC segment to surprise several former furloughed workers in the District with gift cards. In total, $1,000 in gift cards were given away. Reese Waters from WUSA 9 did a great job chatting with federal workers and hearing their furloughed stories. It was great to see so many smiling faces. Little things go a long way especially in a time of need.
If you know someone in need please visit www.wusa9.com and let them know!
For Easterns Automotive Group and Fox 5 DC, the act of giving back is year round. The Pay It Forward partners teamed up for the second time in 2019 to do some good in the community. They came across Kelly Rogan who is a reading specialist at Arcola Elementary School in Aldie, Virginia. Rogan created the Law and Literacy Program at Arcola Elementary where Loudoun County deputy sheriffs come out to read and do other literacy activities with the students. She was inspired to create this program after seeing the deputy sheriffs that were shot in Dallas back in 2017. It touched her because she sees how police in general put their lives on the line for the safety of civilians. Her Law and Literacy program idea sparked conversation and led to change because the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office was very receptive and willing to be a part of the program when she reached out. The Law and Literacy program is for students in Kindergarten to second grade at Arcola Elementary School. It’s great for children to have a relationship with law enforcement to bridge the gap within the community.
It was such a smart idea for Rogan to come up with this concept. The children are able to be comfortable around the deputies and understand that they are only there to help them. Doing small activities like this with young children go a long way especially in the real world. This group of children won’t grow up fearing the police in their community because they already have a relationship with them. Easterns and Fox 5 DC decided to gift Rogan with a $1,000 Amazon gift card to purchase more books for the students as well as bean bag chairs. The kids will definitely feel cozy during reading time now!
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.
Late post! A few days before 2018 came to a close; Easterns Automotive Group (Eastern Motors) joined Fox 5 DC for their Diaper Drive Donation. Fox 5 DC asked businesses in the area to contribute or donate what they could so they could provide diapers to families in need with babies. Many times as people we think about adults living in poverty but not always the affects it has on small children. Due to the lack of diaper supply, babies are often left in dirty diapers causing various infections, skin aliments, and rashes. Diapers also unfortunately cost more in low-income neighborhoods where they should in fact be cheaper. The issue is that those areas don’t always have wholesale department stores where diapers can be purchased in bulk.
Fox 5 DC partnered with Horton’s Kids and the Greater DC Diaper Bank to make sure all donations and diapers goes directly to the babies affected by the lack of supplies. When Fox 5 DC reached out to Easterns, they didn’t hesitate to get involved. Joel Bassam of Easterns met Allison Seymour in Washington D.C. at the diaper drive to present Horton’s Kids with a $1,500 check. That wasn’t all, Joel then walked Allison to an SUV full of diapers!
Please take some time to learn more about Horton’s Kids and the Greater DC Diaper Bank to find out more and learn how you too can get involved.
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.
Easterns Automotive Group and WUSA 9 recently got together to do their very first edition of their Road to a Better Community segment for 2019. Easterns and WUSA 9 have such a unique relationship because their intentions always line up when it comes to giving back and helping others. They found an amazing Washington D.C. based nonprofit that specializes in helping LGBTQ youth in the area. The organization, SMYAL is short for Sexual Minority Youth Assistance League. SMYAL brings LGBTQ youth together through their afterschool programs and leadership development opportunities. They also offer counseling services to youth because they understand the importance of mental health and making sure the teens go on to prosper in the real world. Many LGBTQ youth often feel isolated and alone with nobody to relate to so SMYAL also offers housing to teens in need. SMYAL is there to be a safe space for them to be understood, loved, and appreciated. The nonprofit offers a scholarship program to recent high school graduates that can be used at their discretion.
Joel Bassam, Director of Marketing for Easterns presented SMYAL with a check for $2,500 to help with their incredible organization. This money will help them to cover the costs of their services needed to keep SYMAL going. WUSA 9 and Easterns are no strangers to giving back to the LGBTQ youth. Just a few months ago, the pair donated to the Latin American Youth Center in Washington D.C. If you would like to learn more about SMYAL, the services that they provide, and how you too can get involved, please click here.
To learn more about how WUSA 9 and Easterns Automotive Group helps organizations through the Road to a Better Community partnership, please click here.
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.
It has been nearly a month that the government has been shut down for issues regarding politics. This has unfortunately left hundreds of thousands of federal employees without pay. The entire country is in an uproar because federal employees are still expected to work while they have no clue when they will receive their income. Though this is a tremendous tragedy, life certainly does not stop. In the meantime, people still have to live, pay bills, and support their families. Easterns Automotive Group, headquartered in Sterling, Virginia has always been a company that steps up to the plate to help the members of the DMV community (DC, Maryland, and Virginia). This government shutdown issue is no different.
Easterns Director of Marketing Joel Bassam collaborated with his father CEO Robert Bassam on ways they could give back and help the many families affected during such a hard time. The two came up with the idea to donate $10,000 each week to both Loudoun Hunger Relief and Dulles South Food Pantry. Both are local food banks located in Loudoun County, Virginia. This will continue until the shutdown is brought to an end. Unfortunately, the shutdown has caused many people to run out of money which in turn has lead to not being able to eat or provide food for their families. An estimated 15,000 to 20,000 federal workers live in Loudoun so this will definitely be a start to help people out. Easterns also donated $5,000 to that Capital Area Food Bank which is a member of Feeding America that responds to hunger in the Washington, DC metro area. We want to encourage everyone that is facing tough times to stay strong. Please keep hope alive and remember that this won’t last forever!
DONATE: If you are looking to donate to any of these incredible organizations, please visit: Loudoun Hunger Relief, Dulles South Food Pantry, or Capital Area Food Bank.
RECEIVE SERVICES: If you are looking to receive services during this government shutdown, please visit: Loudoun Hunger Relief, Dulles South Food Pantry, or Capital Area Food Bank.
Happy Holidays everyone! As we approach Christmas, giving back is more imperative than ever. Fox 5 DC and Easterns Automotive Group recently came together for a very special Pay It Forward segment. They got wind of what a DC woman by the name of LeShawn Weathers was doing for the homeless of her community and decided to help out. Weathers lost her son to gun violence roughly six still years ago and his murder still remains a mystery. Her son Anthony was 25 years old when he was killed. This unexpected yet painful loss inspired her to turn her grief into giving. Weathers created nonprofit called Anthony’s Angels which she named after her late son. It has become quite a hobby for her as she gathers cans around her Southeast neighborhood. She turns the cans into coasters and ashtrays that she gives away in exchange for donations. The donations that she is able to raise allow her to continue helping the homeless. Weathers has the kind of compassion that everyone in this world needs; especially during this time of the year.
What separates Weathers from most is that she is coming from a place of understanding after being homeless herself before. She understands that some people just need that extra boost to remain encouraged. Her son would definitely be proud of the hard work that his mother is doing for others. Fox 5 DC and Easterns Automotive Group came together to surprise Weathers because they wanted to help make her job easier. They gave her gloves, hats, hand warmers, and dozens of coats for Anthony’s Angels that she can gift to the homeless. Hopefully the selfless heart that Weathers has can inspire you to also do some good in your own community. Remember, it doesn’t take much to make a difference!
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.
Link to original post – http://www.fox5dc.com/news/pay-it-forward/pay-it-forward-dc-woman-turns-grief-from-sons-murder-into-opportunity-to-give-to-homeless
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Happy Holidays to all! Easterns Automotive Group recently joined forces with the Battlefield Lodge Charitable Foundation. Battlefield Lodge is committed to improving the community by finding ways for law enforcement to interact with everyday people. This foundation represents officers from several Virginia counties, Prince William County Police Department being one of them. Every year they have several events to bring people together in the community. One of the many annual events they do is called Santa Cops. This year Easterns got involved by donating $2,000 to help with the event. Children of the community were able to meet Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, and members of the police force at Walmart on Sudley Rd in Mannassas, VA. They all did a little shopping and took some cool pictures with the children. After Walmart, the police force joined the children at Manassas Park Elementary School where they shared a meal and helped the kids wrap gifts. It was so wonderful to see members of the police force embracing and enjoying quality time with the youth. Children look up to these leaders of our community so it’s important that they feel the love shown back to them. The holidays are about giving back! Please find ways to give back to your local community in any way that you can through making a monetary donation to various organizations or just volunteering your time. Every little bit helps. Thank you to the wonderful Prince William County Police Department as well as Battlefield Lodge for continuing to host such an amazing event. Please click here to see more photos from Santa Cops 2018.
We hope you all are enjoying this beautiful holiday season. The holidays are truly about giving and putting smiles of everyone you encounter. Easterns Automotive Group teamed up with Fox 5 DC for yet another amazing Pay It Forward segment. A man by the name of Joseph Emmerich started the Chillum Youth Project back in 1967. The non-profit specializes in assisting young-at-risk children of low income families in Chillum, Maryland and DC surrounding areas. He created this program due to the increased gang violence and poverty. He wanted children growing up to have an equal opportunity to succeed in life. The program is designed to help kids to well and school and stay out of trouble. Emmerich also works hard to provide the children with different experiences like museums, tours, and theatres so they can see that their possibilities are endless.
Joan Mendoza was a member of the Chillum Youth Program and credits all of his success to Emmerich. Mendoza was in the hospital very ill with phenomena when Emmerich stepped in with the funds to get him the proper healthcare. Mendoza is now actively working to help his own community through law enforcement.
Joel Bassam of Easterns Automotive Group teamed up with Fox 5 DC to pay it forward to Chillum Youth Project by giving them a $2,000 check to help fund their efforts. He also gifted them a $500 Pizza Hut gift card for the children to enjoy. To learn more about the Chillum Youth Project and how you can help, please 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.
Watch the video to see the way everything unfolded.
Happy Holidays to all! Easterns Automotive Group and WUSA 9 teamed up for a very special edition of Road to a Better Community. For this segment, they found an awesome Washington D.C. based non-profit organization that specializes in helping animals. City Dogs Rescue rescues both adoptable cats and dogs that are in overcrowded and high-kill shelters. The resources are very limited in these types of settings. The overall goal and mission of City Dogs Rescue is to find permanent loving homes in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia metro area for these animals to enjoy a happy and healthy life. As a non-profit foundation, they rely on help from volunteers and donations to help care for the animals before they get adopted. Being a dog lover himself, Joel Bassam of Easterns Automotive Group just knew that Easterns had to get involved in some way. Easterns Automotive Group donated $2,500 to help with their expenses. If you would like to learn more about City Dogs Rescue and how you can either volunteer or donate, please click here.
Happy Holidays everyone! This is a very special time of year because loved ones are able gather and celebrate with good times and of course great food. However, not everyone is able to have the same experience based on their financial status. Fox 5 DC and Easterns Automotive Group teamed up with an incredible nonprofit called Nourish Now that works actively to feed those less fortunate in Montgomery County, Maryland. They supply approximately 700 families with a five day supply of food each week. Brett Meyers founded Nourish Now after being the manager of a fast food restaurant. He saw so much food go to waste that could have gone to people that really needed it. Many people do not even know that that there is about 133 billion pounds of food wasted in the United States each year while there are people starving. Thanks to Meyers, his nonprofit is able to help change this statistic and work to end hunger through food recovery.
With Thanksgiving upon us, Nourish Now is working with their volunteers to pack up food for the holidays. Each Thanksgiving, they feed over 1,000 in the area. Nourish Now is able make this happen with the help of over 150 different restaurants, catering companies, and grocery stores. Easterns Automotive Group and Fox 5 DC got word of all the hard work that Mayers and his team are doing and decided to do their part. Easterns donated about 75 30-pound turkeys and dozens of pumpkin pies to go with the Thanksgiving meals they are preparing to send out. Please click here to learn more about Nourish Now and how you can either volunteer or donate. Being in the car business for over 30 years, Eastern Motors understands the importance of giving back and helping the amazing people of the DMV community that has continued to support them in return.
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.
Link to original post - http://www.fox5dc.com/news/pay-it-forward/pay-it-forward-maryland-man-recovers-food-to-make-an-impact-on-hunger
Back again! Easterns Automotive Group and WUSA 9 teamed up once again for their Road to a Better Community segment. This time, the pair found an incredible non-profit that helps provide farm animals and wildlife with care, protection, and rehabilitation. Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary is a 400 acre non-profit refuge based in Poolesville, Maryland which is a part of Montgomery County. The amazing volunteers work endlessly to bring awareness to issues concerning animals and wildlife. With their recent support and donations from the public, Poplar Spring was able to build both new barns and fences for their growing animal family. Joel Bassam of Easterns Automotive Group presented Poplar Spring with a check for $2,500 to help out with their new expansion. This money will be able to help supply the farm animals with food, hay, and other supplies needed in order to get them through this upcoming winter that is approaching. To learn more about Popular Spring Animal Sanctuary and find out how you can either donate or volunteer, please click here.
There is nothing worse than seeing worse than seeing an innocent child left hungry. Unfortunately in the District, this became a problem saw more and more frequently. Stoddert Elementary School decided to step in and do something about it. The students of their 5-grade class created the idea of a Share Table. Every day at the end of lunch, students can put any remaining food that is unopened around in baskets that are conveniently placed around the lunchroom. This makes food readily available for any students that are still hungry or want a snack.
Three parents got wind of the Share Table from their very own DC Public School students. Lucie Leblois, Alysa MacClellan, and Krista Weymouth came together to create the DC Food Project. They plan to implement both their Share Table and Backpack Program into several schools with hopes to expand it throughout the entire school system. Stoddert Elementary of course inspired the Share Table while the Backpack Program was an original idea that these three ladies sat down and created together. The Backpack Program sends food home with students in need on Fridays so that they will have food to eat over the weekend.
There is no way that Fox 5 DC and Easterns Automotive Group could not step in and help their amazing program. Joel Bassam of Easterns Automotive Group presented a check for $2,700 to the DC Food Project to allow these three moms to continue doing their great work.
If you would like to learn more about the DC Food Project and find out how you too can get involved, please 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 give to deserving people and organizations all year round. However, this particular nonprofit organization is very special because it enriches the lives of individuals with physical, cognitive, and psychological challenges. Loudoun Therapeutic Riding (LTR) at Morven Park continues to help both veterans and people with disabilities free of charge to fulfill their mission. For many people, it is their very first time riding a horse when working with LTR. They have been able to make tremendous progress in the lives of many. Loudoun Therapeutic Riding helps more than 100 people each week through their herd of 14 horses.
Easterns and Fox 5 DC decided to help step in because they want Loudoun Therapeutic Riding to be able to continue their amazing work. Joel Bassam of Easterns Automotive Group presented Loudoun Therapeutic Riding with a check for $2,000 to help with their upcoming 2018 Ride-A-Thon.
Please click here to learn more about Loudoun Therapeutic Riding.
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 Fox 5 DC and Easterns Automotive Group (Eastern Motors) are back with a brand new episode and this one is a tearjerker. Cynthia Cogdell is a retired teacher from the Prince Georges County School district. Many times when teachers retire, they cannot wait to relax and get away from children. This is not the case for Ms. Cogdell who still dedicates her life to helping children without a paycheck being attached. Every morning before school, she meets and greets the children in her neighborhood at the bus stop. Her main goal is to help keep them safe and provide snacks to the kids so they can start their day right. Ms. Cogdell’s daughter uploaded a video to social media of her mother tending to the children at the bus stop and it went viral on social media.
Easterns Automotive Group and Fox 5 DC got wind of what Ms. Cogdell was doing and knew they wanted to do something nice for her. It takes a selfless individual to sacrifice their time, energy, and money to help others. Joel Bassam of Easterns Automotive Group presented Ms. Cogdell with tickets up an upcoming Washington Redskins games, a signed Ryan Kerrigan jersey, a certificate for a spa day, and more snacks for the students at the bus stop. She was overjoyed by the surprise. It’s clear that Ms. Cogdell has a lot to look forward to. With all the time and effort that she puts into the children, she too deserves to enjoy herself!
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.
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