Blog Archive

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.

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As the holiday season approaches, the importance of giving back and helping others is so very important. Although it’s important to give back year round, people sometimes need that extra boost during the colder months to overcome any obstacles that they are facing. Pay It Forward partners Easterns and Fox 5 DC have come together once again to help someone who is doing generous and amazing deeds in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia community. For this edition of Pay It Forward, the two selected hair stylist, Laura Faehner Reed. Reed provides free haircuts to the homeless of Montgomery County, Maryland.

Reed has been busy helping out in her very own community for quite some time. The original reason that she started providing free haircuts was to boost the confidence of the homeless and provide a stepping stone to help them get on their feet. “Some of them have job interviews and some of them already have jobs and just can’t afford haircuts.” Reed told Fox 5. It’s very important to let these people know that they haven’t been forgotten. Many people that are homeless don’t want to be there they are but have no choice at the moment. Some people have just simply made bad decisions but want to turn their life around, be happy, and prosper on to bigger and better things. Reed has a tremendous impact on those that she does help. The level of compassion she shows is remarkable because she knows that being homeless could happen to herself or anyone.

When Reed is not volunteering her time and talent, she is hard at work at 4&Co Salon in Rockville, Maryland and Ricks Chop Shop in Mount Airy, Maryland. She asks her clients for small donations as well as products to help her provide the free haircuts and shaves. Easterns and Fox 5 DC were blown away by her selflessness and her amazing generosity to the community. The two teamed up to help Pay It Forward by providing Reed with a bulk supply of non-perishable foods, $500 in gift cards for supplies, a towel steamer, as well as a gift certificate for personal spa day. It will be great for Reed to treat herself since she is always treating others. Click here to follow Reed on social media to keep up with her amazing efforts. Click here to donate to her Go Fund Me page as she’s currently collecting money to purchase winter clothes for the homeless.

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.

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If you drive on a daily basis than you know how annoying it is to hit a pothole unexpectedly. Joel Bassam, Director of Marketing at Easterns Automotive Group, recently caught up with Fox 5 DC to discuss the damages that potholes can cause to your vehicle. Potholes can knock the air out of your tires, mess up wheel balance, or even affect the wheel alignment. However, there are signs to look for to if your car has been damaged by a pothole. One of the most common things to look for is a change in ride. When a vehicle starts to drift or shake, there is a possibility that a pothole could be at fault. For safety purposes, it is very important to always check the tire thread on the tire tread on a vehicle.

Many of us just hop in the car and ride. However, it is very important to take the time to keep your vehicle in great cosmetic condition. One thing that can sometimes get in the way of that is bird poop. At times, it is easy to be lazy when we see bird poop. We don’t always act immediately and that is the wrong thing to do. It’s definitely better to act sooner than later to prevent long term paint damage to your vehicle.

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