Category: Community

Sonia Su began "Kits to Heart," where she hand-packs curated cancer care kits for patients and caregivers across the nation. Her mission to help others and give back all started after she received a care package during her own cancer treatment. On this HelpingHands we surprised Sonia with a donation of $2,000 so that they can continue to improve the lives of others!

In partnership with ABC7's Helping Hands program, we had the opportunity to support a truly amazing organization called SevaTruck. Sonny Kakar created SevaTruck to reduce hunger in our communities by providing hot, nutritious meals to anyone who needs them. The organization has served 40,000 meals as of June 2022, and we wanted to help with a special gift.

We were fortunate to come together with FOX to #PayItForward by supporting Hustler Guild. Hustlers Guild is an organization that is changing the lives of kids in the District with their "Beyond the Block" program. The program seeks to give underserved kids the opportunity to explore different careers and dreams beyond their neighborhoods. They connect the kids with mentors and take them to places they may not traditionally visit.

The Old Soldiers Home Foundation recently shared the dedication of their new multi-sport court. We partnered with ABC7's Helping Hands to surprise them with a donation of $2,000 so that they can continue to improve the lives of those who so bravely served our country!

You hear a lot about food needsbut a critical need that is often overlooked is diapers. 1 in 3 families experience diaper need.

Over the last two years the Greater DC Diaper Bank has worked to meet that need. They distributed 2 million diapers in 2019. This year they are on track to distribute 10 million! It doesn’t stop at diapers, they also provide mothers with hygiene and breast feeding products, all of the things you need when you have a baby in your life.  

Rebecca Kolowé, a mom to 4-year-old named Tristan, was just named the interim executive director of the Greater DC Diaper Bank. Since joining in 2019 she has helped them expand to reaching that 10 million mark this year. They work with 76 programs within the community. If families want to access their services they can find various diaper hubs here. 

Rebecca shares, “Every day I get to help other mothers or whoever

On this Helping Hands partnered with ABC 7, we wanted to honor SMYAL's dedication to the youth of the LGBTQ+ community by donating $2,000 towards their mission!

Buddy Harrison of Old School Boxing uses boxing to help troubled teens get off the streets. He also provides food and clothing to those in need in his community, and as part of ABC7's Helping Hands initiative, we had a special surprise for him.

With compassion and love they helped us get through the worst of the pandemic and have continued to care for our communities in our most vulnerable times. As part of this Pay It Forward, we stopped by the University of Maryland Capital Region Medical Center to thank nurses for their work.

During nurses appreciation week, we wanted to surprise them with something special. To thank the nursing staff for paying it forward, Easterns Automotive Group sent the them catered meals from Thomas Thyme and Escape Foot Soaks from Naturally London.

If you know someone who should be featured on Pay It Forward, you can nominate them at wttgpayitforward@fox.com. In your email, be sure to include who they are and why they deserve to be recognized.

We partnered with FOX5 to Pay It Forward with the residents of the Godwin House a Senior facility in which they are making mats for the homeless, helping local high schoolers with college essays, helping staff with citizenship studying, and making boxes for Ukraine

Thousands of volunteers are preparing for the Christmas in April program to help repair the homes of Prince George's County seniors who are in need so they may live in warmth, safety, and independence. Amazed by all of the effort and work that these volunteers have put into helping others we wanted to surprise them on this helping Hands with ABC 7.