Category Archives: Community

Helping Hands – “Feast of Sharing: Reimagined”

Community, Uncategorized,

During the pandemic, the holiday season was unbearable for some. Individuals were separated from their families, and others still without employment. Helping Hands, partnering Easterns Automotive Group with ABC 7, worked tirelessly during the holiday season to support those making tremendous efforts in the community.

Right before Thanksgiving at the Walter E Washington Convention Center, the annual “Feast of Sharing” feeds almost 5,000 people. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, the organizers had to rethink how they would continue this holiday tradition of 20 years.?

Kidd O’Shea from the ABC 7 team met with the organizers to hear how they planned to continue to provide for the community despite having to cancel this annual event. Beth Goldburg, Senior Manager of Community & Public Affairs at Safeway, shared that with the new name “Feast of Sharing: Reimagined,” they decided to assemble 5,000 meal boxes and gift bags to be delivered throughout the community. The gift bags were created to help keep people warm during the winter and included hats, scarves, gloves, face masks, and hand sanitizer.

Kidd O’Shea surprised organizer Lara Akinsanya with 600 scarves from Easterns Automotive Group. Lara expressed her excitement and how they were struggling to receive scarves. Inspired by their ability to pivot to continue to help people in need, Joel Bassam, director of marketing for Easterns Automotive Group, shared a special message with their team.?

Helping Hands, powered by ABC 7, is always looking to help out people or organizations in need worthy of assistance. If you know someone that fits this description, please?click here?to nominate them.

Helping Hands – Tummy Yumyum

Community,

COVID-19 has left some individuals in unfortunate circumstances. Some are still without jobs and the support they had before. However, it is incredible to see people in our community pull together to help one another during this time, like Sharita Rouse, the owner of gourmet candy apple store Tummy Yumyum in Manassas, VA.?

Sharita says, in 2008, God directed her to open a candy apple store, even though she had never made candy apples before. One day, someone stopped by her store looking for food, and again she says God directed her to start feeding anyone in need without asking, and since then, she has been feeding individuals for over ten years through her business. Due to the influx of people in need during the pandemic, Sharita began to provide hot meals for about 500-600 people a week from her candy apple storefront.?

It is always a pleasure to partner with ABC 7’s Helping Hands initiative and give back to those doing incredible work in the community. Presented by Kidd Oshea, we were excited to surprise Tummy YumYum with $1500 to go towards her actions in the Manassas community.?

Helping Hands, powered by ABC 7, is always looking to help out people or organizations in need worthy of assistance. If you know someone that fits this description, please?click here?to nominate them.

Pay It Forward – Ana Romero

Community,

Ana Romero doesn’t want anyone to experience what she went through during the pandemic and uses what she learned from her experience to help others. She now uses what she learned to help her community. Ana’s actions inspired us on our Pay It Forward with Fox 5 DC that we had to surprise her with something special.?

Ana contracted COVID-19 resulting in her spending a week in the hospital. Even though Ana was finally able to return home, the virus’s lasting effects have caused her to still be in pain, and she has also lost vision in one of her eyes. In the process of her husband and son caring for her, they lost their jobs. However, she did not let this stop her.

After Ana’s encounter with the virus, it motivated her to help her community. Daily, Ana gathers food from a local non-profit called Tenants and Workers United and delivers it to high-risk individuals and those in need. She was terrified to go to the hospital when she contracted COVID-19, so it is also essential to share facts and not fear while encouraging others to get tested. People often ask if she is getting paid for her act of kindness, but it is 100% from her heart.?

Ana’s actions are such an inspiration to us at Easterns Automotive Group and Fox 5 DC, so we surprised her with a deluxe spa basket, a warm shoulder throw, and a $200 gift card to Safeway.

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.

Helping Hands – Surprise Food Pantry

Community,

Once the pandemic brought the world to a complete stop, it ended jobs for many across the globe. Tri Trinh?s photo booth business took a big hit once there was a halt to events. He lost his source of income and gained lots of free time during the pandemic. With more time on his hands, he wanted to find ways to give back to the community with very little money.?

It began with a coat drive. On the first three Saturdays of October, Tri gave away hundreds of coats to anyone in need. The idea for a food pantry sparked when he noticed others began to put canned goods in community libraries instead of books. Tri opened DC?s first 24/7 food pantry outside of Bluebird Sky Yoga. Understanding that, like himself, there are many newly unemployed people and don?t know where to go, he wanted to be that helping hand for those in this time of need without judgment. The food pantry has a take what you need set up, and he visits the pantry throughout the day to make sure the shelves are stocked.?

He has since launched a non-profit called Kindness DC and hopes to open more 24/7 food pantries across the district. Partnered with ABC 7?s Helping Hands, Easterns Automotive?s Joel Bassam was able to share our surprise donation of $1500 to continue his mission.?

“This is awesome! This will help us fill the pantry for three full weeks,” Trinh said.?

Helping Hands, powered by ABC 7, is always looking to help out people or organizations in need that are worthy of assistance. If you know someone that fits this description, please click here to nominate them.

Get Up Give Back – DC Safe

Community,

With everyone confined to their homes since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a surge in domestic violence cases across the U.S. This is where nonprofits, like DC Safe, step up to create a safe space and help survivors during a crisis.?

DC Safe stands for Survivors and Advocates for Empowerment and is the only 24/7 crisis intervention agency for domestic violence in Washington, DC. They are made up of several teams and programs dedicated to helping survivors in various ways including emergency lock changes, food for the weekend, safe housing for survivors, emergency transportation to the shelter, rental assistance, and more.

Reese Waters was able to chat with Natalie Oterio, the co-founder and executive director, and learned that their biggest need currently, is food cards to give to survivors and their families staying at their shelter. Natalie expressed that the Safe Space Crisis Shelter sees about 300 to 400 families a year and with an influx staying due to the holidays they simply need food cards to provide to their families. Easterns Automotive Group wanted to ensure that DC Safe was able to get the food cards they needed to keep doing great work in the community. In partnership with WUSA 9?s Get Up and Give Back DC, Reese was able to present DC Safe with $1000 to help them get the food cards for the families at there shelter.?

There is no donation to small. DC Safe has a breakdown on their website sharing exactly how your donation can help. To learn more about ways you can donate or volunteer with the DC Safe please visit – www.dcsafe.org

Easterns Automotive Group and WUSA 9 are always here to help. If you know someone in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area that is worthy of being helped or recognized, please contact at @ReeseWaters on social media. #GetUpDC #GetUpGiveBack

Get Up Give Back – United Soldiers and Sailors of America

Community,

 

The sacrifice that veterans make everyday for our country deserves more than a thank you, and a nonprofit whose mission is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for veterans in need is United Soldiers and Sailors of America.

Reese Waters was able to sit down with United Soldiers and Sailors of America?s president, John Yori, to hear more about the organization and their efforts in the metro area. Seeing the needs of veterans first hand, their programs, services, and events were created to have a direct impact on the wellbeing of veteran lives. It is an all volunteer organization that services food insecure and homeless veterans in the Washington, DC area, supplying them with toiletries, hosting food drives, and providing winter survival kits.?

Veterans have served to protect us and it is important that we protect them in return. That?s why, in partnership with Get Up DC and @WUSA9, we were excited to donate $1000 to United Soldiers and Sailors of America with Reese Waters, so that they can continue to enhance the quality of life for our veterans?

To learn more about ways you can donate or volunteer with the United Soldiers and Sailors of America please visit – www.usasoa.org

Easterns Automotive Group and WUSA 9 are always here to help. If you know someone in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area that is worthy of being helped or recognized, please contact at @ReeseWaters on social media. #GetUpDC #GetUpGiveBack

Road to a Better Community – For 3 Sisters

Community,

 

October of each year is breast cancer awareness month.? Easterns Automotive Group and WUSA 9 had their mindset on highlighting a non-profit organization that helps breast cancer patients and survivors for their Road to a Better Community segment.? The one that stuck out to them the most is called For 3 Sisters, which is an Olney, Maryland based national grassroots organization dedicated to raising awareness and improving the lives of both men and women affected by breast cancer.

F3S was founded by a retired firefighter named Marshall Moneymaker and his wife Shannon.? Marshall has been nicknamed ?The Pink Firefighter? after dedicating the rest of his life to supporting breast cancer which impacted his family greatly.? He lost his three older sisters in a span of two years to breast cancer.? Their journey as a family was tough coping with multiple losses in such a short amount of time.? Therefore, he knows and understands the obstacles and burdens that many of these families have had to endure.? Finances and lack of resources can certainly be a burden in a time of need.? What?s great is that the Moneymaker?s don?t discriminate.? It is their mission to help every person possible to ensure that they feel a sense of support.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, F3S has received an increase in the demand for services but a decrease in funding.? Easterns Automotive Group?s Joel Bassam decided to surprise the Moneymaker family live on WUSA 9.? Bassam presented the couple with a check donation of $2,000.? They will be able to do wonderful things with the money including assisting and reaching more people in need.? The mission was started out of love and family which shows throughout their tremendous efforts. If you would like to learn more about For 3 Sisters or know someone in particular that can benefit from what they have to offer, please visit: www.f3s.org

 

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

Helping Hands – She Believes in Me

Community,

 

Local nonprofit organizations across the Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area have been stepping up to assist those affected by COVID-19.? One, in particular, is ?She Believes in Me? located in Herndon, Virginia that is founded by Renee Gorman.? ?She Believes in Me? offers elementary age at-risk girls the opportunity to participate in events designed to encourage, inspire, and empower through field trips and monthly events. Gorman is an elementary school counselor herself so she has a background in caring, listening, and understanding young girls.? Schools only provide support while students are in class, but it was Gorman that knew that young girls needed more.

Prior to COVID-19, ?She Believes in Me? held one of their largest events to date.? These monthly events were about providing young girls with life skills.? When girls are given these tools at a young age it allows them to be better equipped to handle things that arise in the future.? Some of the skills included relationship skills, self-esteem, mental health, physical health, and emotional health.

Once COVID-19 hit, everything changed.? Gorman was unable to meet the girls like she was used to which led her to revamp her strategy.? She began to notice the need for food in the community with so many families out of work with very little income.? Gorman put together several packs of food which turned into way more than she anticipated.? She moved the setup into her garage for a while and eventually to Floris United Methodist Church in Herndon, VA.

Gorman and her volunteers have been able to supply food and household items for over 6,000 local families and consistently serve close to 50 families a week.? Her husband, Victor Gorman, nominated her for ABC 7?s Helping Hands segment with Easterns Automotive Group.? Helping Hands highlights individuals who are doing great work within the community.? ABC 7 WJLA cameras were able to surprise her with a $1,500 donation from Easterns Automotive Group.? Joel Bassam of Easterns was able to deliver the message to Gorman and volunteers.? This money will allow ?She Believes in Me? her to continue supporting young girls and also feed families in need affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Watch the video to see how everything unfolded.

 

Helping Hands, powered by ABC 7 is always looking to help out people or organizations in need that are worthy of assistance.? If you know someone that fits this description, please click here to nominate them.

 

YouTube Link ? https://youtu.be/cPjI_E-GSbI

Helping Hands – Horton’s Kids

Community,

 

The COVID-19 pandemic has really given wonderful nonprofit organizations across the DMV region to step up and help those in need. One organization is Horton?s Kids located in the poverty-stricken Wellington Park community of Washington D.C.? Horton?s Kids empowers children grades K through 12 in the District to overcome life?s obstacles so they can succeed in life.? They push the youth to graduate from high school by offering academic support and social-emotional development.

The unfortunate part about the pandemic is that many schools are participating in virtual learning.? This means that children are attending class and learning online.? With that said, each child needs the necessary digital tools to be successful and bridge the academic gap.? Horton?s Kids has been working to provide students with internet and tablets to be able to complete their schoolwork.? They have also been working to provide food and hygiene products.

The ABC 7 WJLA-TV team was so moved by the efforts of Horton?s Kids that they featured them on Good Morning Washington back in August.? This caught the attention of Easterns Automotive Group so they two decided to come together to highlight Horton?s Kids on their Helping Hands segment.? Easterns Automotive Group was able to surprise the nonprofit organization with a check for $1,500.? The donation will allow Horton?s Kids to continue helping children and supporting those in the community that needs it the most.

Horton’s Kids has a number of ways for people to get involved including – donating, volunteering, and joining their team. For more information, please visit www.hortonskids.org

 

Watch the video to see how everything unfolded.

 

Helping Hands, powered by ABC 7 is always looking to help out people or organizations in need that are worthy of assistance.? If you know someone that fits this description, please click here to nominate them.

 

YouTube Link – https://youtu.be/DyizInqHc1U

 

Pay It Forward – Support The Girls

Community,

 

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month?and many victims have been struggling with their abusers during the pandemic.? Things have not been easy for them as getting out and going to work was something many victims looked forward to.? Social media has really begun to shine a slight on domestic abuse for people to have an open and honest conversation about what people go through behind closed doors.

There are a number of organizations that specialize in assisting domestic violence against women.? One in particular is I Support the Girls, a Washington D.C. metro area non-profit founded by Dana Marlowe.? This organization understands that victims usually need underwear and hygiene products after fleeing a domestic relationship.? Marlowe created D.A.S.H (dignity, aid, security, and hygiene) kits for women who are in these situations.

Fox 5 DC and Easterns Automotive Group came together to highlight I Support the Girls on their Pay It Forward segment.? Maureen Umeh of Fox 5?s Good Day DC had the chance to visit Marlowe and chat with her about the organization.? Umeh played Marlowe a short video from Joel Bassam of Easterns.? Bassam announced the donation of $1,000 in underwear, bras, and menstrual products to help with the D.A.S.H kits.? If you know of any survivors or would like to learn more? about I Support the Girls get involved, please visit www.isupportthegirls.org

 

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.

 

YouTube Link – https://youtu.be/hpFSH3ZUfts