Est. 1988
Est. 1988
Est. 1988
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.
Easterns Automotive Group and WUSA 9 are continuing to grow their Road to a Better Community segment. The pair recently gave back to the Latin American Youth Center in Washington D.C. This makes perfect sense because Easterns Automotive Group (Eastern Motors) has been selling cars to to the yard working men and women of DC, Maryland, and Virginia for over 30 years. It’s clear that Easterns has a very close relationship with the community. The Latin American Youth Center (LAYC) is working to be more inclusive and provide a place for comfort to members of the LGBTQ community. Their goal is to bring teens of all walks of life together through after school activities and programs. They understand the pressures of the world and just aim to provide a place of unity for those growing up in the area. Youth are always looking for a comfortable place to engage and be themselves. Through the Stripes program, youths are able to learn about LGBTQ issues through media advocacy. They are able to learn just how powerful their voices are so one day they can become leaders themselves.
Joel Bassam of Easterns Automotive Group presented a check for $2,000 to Marie Moll, Teen Stripes Program Manager at the youth center. This money will help the nonprofit continue doing what they do for the youth in the community. If you would like to learn more about the Latin American Youth Center, 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.
Pay It Forward partners Fox 5 DC and Easterns Automotive Group (Eastern Motors) have teamed up yet again to help out a deserving nonprofit foundation. With September being pediatric cancer awareness month, the pair figured that it would only make sense to help and highlight a nonprofit built on helping kids fight childhood cancer. Sharday Richardson of Virginia created the Forever Moriah Foundation this year in honor of losing her oldest daughter. Moriah, Richardson’s daughter, passed in 2013 just shy of her fifth birthday. She was given between nine months to a year to live. The pain of losing a child is near and dear to her heart because she went through this first hand. Many do not know that the survival rate for pediatric cancer is 85 percent yet many children still lose their lives.
Richardson and her family went through such a hard time losing her daughter. She knew that she wanted to help other people on their journeys as well. This resulted in the birth of the Forever Moriah Foundation. Fovever Moriah works closely with young cancer patients at Children’s National Hospital to celebrate their birthdays and completion of treatment with a big party for them and their family. Richardson’s courage and strength to turn her pain into something so selfless and amazing is a true testament of paying it forward. Fox 5 DC and Easterns Automotive Group came into this with a goal of not only helping the foundation but also putting a smile on Richardson’s face. She will be enjoying a Spa Day courtesy of Joel Bassam of Easterns Automotive Group. Well deserved! Easterns will also be covering the next party thrown by the Forever Moriah Foundation at Children’s National Hospital. Click here to learn more about the Forever Moriah Foundation and find out how you too can get involved and help.
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.
For years, Easterns Automotive Group (Eastern Motors) has been a generous organization that loves giving back to others and helping the people of the DC, Maryland, and Virginia community. Eastern Motors, founded by Robert Bassam, recently teamed up to donate $1,250 and sponsor The Evergreen Hammers Youth Football Association (EHYFA) for their 2018 football season. The Dulles Patriots and the Loudoun Lions merged together to form the Evergreen Hammers. They are providing a unique experience to passionate youth who love the game of football. The Evergreen Hammers are a part of the Virginia America Youth Football Alliance (VAYFA) that includes Loudoun, Prince William, Fairfax, Alexandria, Fauquier, Spotsylvania, and Stafford Counties. On a national level, the Evergreen Hammers compete under American Youth Football (AYF) who is the largest youth football organization in the world.
If you are a fan of football, you can watch the Evergreen Hammers showcasing their skills at the Evergreen Sportsplex just outside of Leesburg, VA. Please click here if you would like to learn more about the team, see their schedule, or find out registration information if you have a child interested in playing.
Easterns Automotive Group continues to selflessly give through their recent partnership with WUSA 9. The two came across an amazing nonprofit that is changing the community in Loudoun County, Virginia. Some of you may know Loudoun County as being one of the highest-income counties in the United States. However, this does not make it immune poverty and homelessness. Sadly there are more than 2,200 children in the county that do not have a place to call home. Mobile Hope of Loudoun is working diligently to change this narrative.
A woman by the name of Donna Fortier created Mobile Hope back in 2011 while she was in charge of the Mobile Health program at Inova Loudoun Hospital. During this time, she noticed a large of amount of homeless youths in the area. When Fortier left her job at the hospital in 2014, she made it her purpose to start a nonprofit that helps provide food, clothing, and shelter to children and young adults. Everyone in life faces obstacles but not everyone has the tools needed to get out of a tough situation. According to D’Andre Jamison, Mobile Hope saved his life by helping him get his life on track and enroll in Northern Virginia Community College. He chooses to pay it forward by volunteering at Mobile Hope during his off time.
Without donations and volunteers like Jamison, it would be impossible for Mobile Hope to continue to function and prosper. Easterns Automotive Group decided to step in and help because they two are a part of the Loudoun County community. For those who don’t know, Easterns has their corporate office and Direct Car Buying dealership located in Sterling. Easterns’ representative Joel Bassam presented Fortier with a $2,000 donation to help keep Mobile Hope of Loudoun going. If you would like to learn more about Mobile Hope and find out how you too can help this great cause, please click here.
Fox 5 DC and Easterns Automotive Group (Eastern Motors) have teamed up yet again to Pay It Forward to a very special cause. The W.I.R.E. stands for Women Involved in Reentry Efforts and is a DC based nonprofit organization is doing great work in the community by helping both families and children of incarcerated women. Depending on the situation or circumstance, children don’t get to see their mothers while they are incarnated so this organization steps in to make sure incarcerated mothers see and have a relationship with their children. The group offers financial assistance as well as transportation for children to see their mothers. The W.I.R.E. also offers peer support for women that are returning from being incarcerated.
The W.I.R.E is led by Tanisha Murden and Cheleta Tuckson who turned their pain into purpose because they too were previously incarcerated. It is an ongoing struggle to keep the organization going because it is run solely on donations from generous people. Fox 5 DC and Easterns Automotive Group stepped in to help this amazing nonprofit for the hard work and good that they do in the community. Joel Bassam of Easterns Automotive Group presented the group a check for $2,000 to help them with their cause. He also gift $250 in gift cards to Donnell Chapman who shared his own personal story on the Fox 5 DC segment about growing up with an incarcerated mother. If you would like to learn more about The W.I.R.E. and also see how you too can make a donation, 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 Fox 5 DC and Easterns Automotive Group (Eastern Motors) have teamed up yet again. The pair found a very special organization to give back to. A 7-year-old girl by the name of Myanna created her own non-profit organization named MyannasHeart based off a personal experience. When Myanna was just 5 months old, she had her very first open heart surgery and has undergone several surgeries since. After enduring such a traumatic experience both mentally and physically, she made it her purpose to help other children with their own hospital experience.
MyannasHeart is a non-profit organization that gives tote bags filled with goodies to children at Inova Children’s Hospital. Some of the goodies included in the tote toys, blankets, and puzzles. These small things can make a child’s hospital stay that much more comfortable. Kudos to Myanna’s mother Sheri Kempton for stepping up to the plate and taking the steps to ensure that her daughter’s dream came to life. When Fox 5 DC and Easterns Automotive Group got wind of this they immediately wanted to help. Fox 5 DC invited Myanna and her family on Good Day DC where Joel Bassam of Easterns surprised them live on air with toys, supplies for their bags, and a check for $1,000 to help them on their mission. If you would like to learn more about MyannaHeart 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.
© 2019 Easterns Automotive Group - All Rights Reserved.
