Monthly Archives: February 2020

Pay It Forward – Spreading Some Love on Valentine’s Day

Community,

Valentine?s Day Pay It Forward

Hopefully, you all had a wonderful and happy Valentine?s Day. This year, Easterns Automotive Group and Fox 5 DC decided to come together for their Pay It Forward segment in honor of the special day.? Recently in the news, there was a missing child in Elkridge, Maryland that was found by a USPS worker along I-95. Keith Rollins was en route to BWI Airport where he picks up mail when he discovered the little boy on the side of the road. Rollins? close observation potentially saved the little boy?s life. Fox 5 DC cameras followed Allison Seymour down to the USPS in Friendship Heights where she paid Rollins and his co-workers a visit. She gifted him with flowers, chocolate, and a Valentine?s Day dinner for two courtesy of Easterns Automotive Group. It was important for him to know how much he is appreciated by the community. However, the giving didn?t stop there; Seymour also gifted boxes of chocolate to his incredible USPS co-workers and thanked them for their hard work.

 

The Pay It Forward team went up the road to Wegmans in Lanham, Maryland to surprise Valentine?s Day shoppers with some treats. Mike Thomas of Fox 5 DC was on-site to pass out gift cards, flowers, and chocolate to customers as they were leaving the store. Thomas gave Easterns Automotive Group a huge shout-out for providing everything needed for the giveaway. It was truly refreshing to see all of the customers being so cheerful and kind to one another. It?s clear that love was in the air!

 

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 videos to see the way everything unfolded.

Road to a Better Community – Easterseals

Community,

Easterns Automotive Group and WUSA 9 are committed to making their Road to a Better Community segment one for the books. They have been supporting incredible nonprofits across the DC, Maryland, and Virginia for each segment. Of course, the latest one was no different. The team became aware of the incredible work that Easterseals was doing in the community and thought it would be important to bring awareness to such a great cause.? Easterseals is Americans largest nonprofit health care organization that serves over 1.4 million people a year. Their primary focus is those with disabilities but they also serve veterans, military, seniors, and caregivers. They offer a child development program where they bring children and seniors together.? For seniors this is an opportunity to get back in touch with their own inner child and have fun again.
Unfortunately, many of them don?t have the luxury of seeing or even remembering their own children or grandchildren. Easterseals provides a safe space for everyone to come together and enjoy each other?s company. They have 4 child development centers across the DMV where children can further their learning outside the classroom. What truly makes them a special organization is that they offer inclusion and work with children of all abilities. Many of which have made significant progress which is truly amazing.
Being a non-profit, Easterseals relies on volunteers and fundraising for their programming and scholarships. Easterns Automotive Group and WUSA 9 were so inspired by their hard work that they decided to make a very special contribution. Joel Bassam of Easterns Automotive Group presented them with a $2,500 donation to help further their programs and continue their mission. He even stayed to watch the music program where the adults and kids come together for a jam session. This mission touched Bassam in a different way because he has a brother that has autism.? Therefore, he understands the importance of organizations like Easterseals and the huge impact that they have within the community.
To learn more about Easterns Automotive Group?s partnership with WUSA 9 and how they come together to empower the DMV community, please visit www.wusa9.com/BetterCommunity

Pay It Forward – College Football Player Saves The Life of a Local Toddler

Community,

Selfless acts deserved to be recognized! Easterns Automotive Group and Fox 5 DC came together for yet another edition of their Pay It Forward segment.? This time, they chose to highlight and recognize a college football player by the name of Mike Mushaw.? Mushaw is a 19-year old college football player a Central Connecticut State University.? Recently, he participated in a national bone marrow drive that changed the life of a young girl in our area.

A two year old by the name of Eleanor had been suffering with severe immune deficiency since she was born.? Her doctors added her to the National Bone Marrow Registry during a hospital stay at Children?s National Hospital in Washington D.C.? They had no clue that they would soon receive a call saying that they found a match.? However, Mushaw wasn?t your typical donor.? He went above and beyond to keep in contact with the family.? When Eleanor was healed, she and her family went to visit Mike in Connecticut plus attend a few of his football games.? Mike even took it upon himself to travel to the District to surprise Eleanor for her birthday and the completion of her treatment.

Fox 5 DC and Easterns Automotive Group invited Eleanor and her family to a live taping of Good Day DC.? Allison Seymour had the opportunity to chat with Eleanor and her mom live on camera.? They even had Mushaw call in via Skype.? Joel Bassam of Easterns Automotive Group arrived on set to surprise Mushaw by announcing that his team will be given a post season dinner party courtesy of Easterns.? Bassam also gifted Eleanor with a subscription to Koala and a $1,000 donation in each of their names to Be The Match: The National Marrow Donor Program.

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 article ? https://www.fox5dc.com/good-day-dc/college-football-player-donates-bone-marrow-to-save-little-girl-creates-lifelong-connection

Pay It Forward – Capital Caring Health

Community,

The giving just doesn?t stop in the world of Easterns Automotive Group and Fox 5 DC.? The pair recently came together to support a great cause by the amazing folks over at Capital Caring Health.? Capital Caring has been helping patients cope with serious illnesses by offering 24/7 compassionate care.? They also provide art therapy to help children deal with the loss of a parent. Unfortunately, there are children of two families that have recently lost their fathers to sickness.? Capital Caring has vowed to create an outlet for them to cope, heal, and deal with their grief and trauma is extremely important.?

Until recently, art therapist Monica Delaney was packing up and traveling to the children at their home so she can help turn their pain into creativity.? However, the Capital Caring team decided to create a special room that would be for art therapy at their headquarters in Falls Church, Virginia.? The idea sounded great but there were no funds to complete this passion project.? This is where Fox 5 DC and Easterns Automotive stepped up to help out with the room and surprise the children.? Easterns Automotive Group was able to complete the room by purchasing over $7,000 of art supplies, furniture, and books.? Fox 5 DC cameras captured Allison Seymour and Joel Bassam as they showed children the room for the very first time.? They were so excited to know that they have a safe space to show off their artistic skills.? Joel also gifted one of the kids an art set and the $50 dollar e-gift cards for the other two to purchase new games.? Their smiles were priceless!

Special thanks to Jerry and Drew of the Easterns team and the staff at Capital Caring Health for helping transform this room in such a short amount of time!?

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 article ? https://www.fox5dc.com/news/pay-it-forward-capital-caring-health-helps-children-cope-with-the-loss-of-a-parent