Get Up Give Back – Desks by Dads

Community,

 

COVID-19 is continuing to provide its fair share of challenges.? One of these is virtual learning also called distance learning for children in school.? Kids have had to adjust to everyday life as they know it and now learn from the comfort of their own homes.? Unfortunately, not all children have the same resources that make it easy to attend virtual schooling.

Two parents named Jess and Al Berrellez of Gaithersburg, Maryland took it upon themselves to create a nonprofit organization called Desks by Dads.? It was created to help children of low-income families.? They collect and build free desks to donate them to students in the community.??Children deserve to have dedicated, effective, and comfortable workstations to support virtual learning.? Having a proper work environment plays a huge role in a student’s overall success.

Throughout the pandemic, the Berrellez couple has been hard at work donating the desks that they have built and collected to nearby schools.? To date, over 37 desks have been given to the students that need them the most.? They have gone above and beyond to show the community that they care during this troubled time.

Reese Waters of WUSA 9’s Get Up DC was able to chat with Jess Berrellez on Zoom to discuss the Desks by Dads movement.? It was then when he informed her that she was being featured on their Get Up Give Back segment that is sponsored by Easterns Automotive Group.? He proceeded to surprise her with a donation for $1,000 on behalf of Easterns to continue carrying out their mission by building more desks.? Desks by Dads is currently accepting volunteers as well as donations.? If you want to learn more about Desks by Dads and how you can get involved, please click here.

 

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

Youtube Link ? https://youtu.be/5aCxGn6DeNQ

Helping Hands – Cheverly Emergency Response Team

Community,

 

The COVID-19 pandemic and the effects of it have continued long beyond what was originally anticipated. It is truly taken a toll on families not only in the Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia region but all across the nation. Many families are struggling right now due to job loss and unemployment leaving many in need of basic necessities like food. Maverly Nettles of Cheverly, Maryland is the head of the Cheverly Emergency Response Team (CERT) is set out to change this and help those in need.

The mission of CERT is to provide critical support to the town of Cheverly and assist residents during an emergency. They specialize in providing members with on-going training in disaster response, emergency preparedness, leadership, and organizational skills. They also educate residents in Cheverly about emergency preparedness and support the Cheverly Police Department in the event of a disaster.

Nettles has been responsible for coordinating bi-weekly food drives at Cheverly United Methodist Church to provide meals for those affected by the pandemic. ABC 7 WJLA-TV along with their partner at Easterns Automotive Group heard of the amazing food drives and all that Nettles was doing throughout her Prince Georges County community. They sent a camera crew along with Kidd O?Shea of ABC 7 to surprise Nettles for their Helping Hands segment. It was then that Joel Bassam of Easterns Automotive Group appeared via video to announce that he would be doing $2,000 on behalf of Easterns to support CERT and help Nettles continue spreading the generosity and love to those that need it the most.

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/AomLyfPhQhA

Pay It Forward – Upcounty Consolidation Hub

Community,

 

September was a busy month!? Schools across the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area were officially back in session.? However, this wasn?t the typical exciting back to school time.? Things have changed greatly since the COVID-19 pandemic hit.? Many if not all students are learning virtually but one thing that hasn?t changed is the need for school supplies.

Grace Rivera-Oven created the Upcounty Consolidation Hub, a nonprofit food bank that provides school supplies, food boxes, and COVID-19 kits for those in need throughout Montgomery County.? The need began during the start of the pandemic as she began serving 800 families each week.? However, that number grew due to the number of people that needed help.? The trailer park that Rivera-Oven began serving families out of started to become too small to accommodate all her supplies and the families that we coming to her.? It was then that she asked her friend Lynn Arndt, CEO of the BlackRock Center for the Arts in Gaithersburg, Maryland is she could use some of their space.? The two have come together to create a magical hub for people to bring donations and volunteers to help pack the boxes and care packages.

The Pay It Forward team along with Easterns Automotive Group saw the hard work that they were putting in and decided to step in to help.? The team set it up and the camera crew went to visit the Upcounty Consolidation Hub at BlackRock Center for the Arts.? Holly Morris of Good Day DC on Fox 5 joined the two women via satellite to provide a platform for the women to discuss their incredible work in the community.? It was then that Joel Bassam of Easterns appeared on the screen to surprise them with a $1,500 donation to continue their work in Montgomery County.? There are plenty of ways to get involved and support this incredible nonprofit food bank.? Please click here to learn more about Upcounty Consolidation Hub ? there are options to donate, volunteer, and be a partner of the organization.

 

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/SDbJt7W-Vms

 

The American Dream – Easterns Automotive Group

Easterns Automotive

Easterns Automotive Group founder and CEO Mr. Robert Bassam was recently featured on Bloomberg Television for the season premiere of The American Dream. This national television show features entrepreneurs across various industries and their struggles to become successful. The American Dream premiered in 2018 and is currently in its third season. The lovely folks from the network asked Bassam to be a part of their new season because the longevity of Easterns was truly fascinating to them. Most people don’t know that Easterns has been in business for over 30 years and was created solely by Bassam who came from humble beginnings. He started with a dream and built his company over time as he grew his wealth and resources.

On the show, Bassam gets super candid about the early stages of his journey as a car dealer and goes into detail about the obstacles and challenges that have occurred along the way.  A major hurdle that Bassam touches on is the recession that happened in 2008 and how that caused him to not only close numerous Easterns locations but also restructure his business.  What makes Bassam so special is that he never let the hard times get him down or take him away from his goals.  Bassam also touches on the world-renowned Easterns jingle and how it was created. “At Eastern Motors, your job is your credit!”  Never in his wildest dreams did he think it would still live on today and be known by people that have never even been to the Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area.  This is all thanks to the commercials that feature players from the Washington Football Team, Washington Wizards, and a plethora of actors, comedians, and musicians.  His son, Joel Bassam is the Director of Marketing for Easterns.  You will see him take some time to break down the brand from a marketing perspective.  

Our hope is that this episode of The American Dream will be an inspiration piece for many entrepreneurs out there to show them that success has many routes.  To be a successful entrepreneur, one must have determination, motivation, and self-confidence.  These characteristics will take you a long way especially on the days where things don’t seem to be working out.  This is the first time that Bassam has been so transparent about his automotive journey as a businessman.  There are currently 8 Easterns sales locations across the DMV metro area.  Easterns even has an online express store for customers to shop and buy a car online.  This option has become a success as customers are able to sit down in the comfort of their own homes and fill out all of the needed financial paperwork for their purchase.  After everything is complete, a sales representative personally delivers the vehicle to the customer at their home.  This is a perfect way to eliminate the nervous or jittery feeling that customers get when walking into a car dealership.  The peace of mind of knowing that every vehicle has passed a rigorous multi-point inspection, comes Carfax certified, and has a 7-day return policy is priceless.

The various awards that Easterns has gotten over the years for their customer satisfaction truly separates them from their competitors.  Easterns has been named a Dealer of the Year by Dealer Rater for the past 4 years.  The Washington Post has recognized the work culture of Easterns and named them a Top Workplace for two consecutive years.  The entire staff operates as one big family which puts customers at ease and makes them feel comfortable during their visit.  Easterns has numerous partnerships with DC television networks where they give back to people doing great things in the community as well as those in need.  Bassam has big plans to continue growing Easterns to be one of the top used car dealers in the country.  We hope that you enjoy this episode of The American Dream on Bloomberg TV and learn more about how Easterns grew to what it is today.    

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Get Up Give Back – Gearin’ Up Bicycles

Community,

 

COVID-19 has impacted every business known to man.? Most in negative ways but some in positive ways.? According to Keith Jackson of Gearin? Up Bicycles, the bicycle industry has been doing extremely well.? Gearin? Up Bicycles is Washington D.C.?s only nonprofit community bike shop but they also serve the community as well.? Their purpose is to create career development opportunities and teach essential workplace skills to teenagers from underserved communities while encouraging cycling as a practical, healthy means of transportation.? Gearin? Up provides access to quality affordable used bicycles for those in need and hosts various community outreach programs throughout the year.

For the recent Get Up Give Back segment sponsored by Easterns Automotive Group, Reese Waters of Get Up DC (WUSA 9) decided to highlight their importance to the Washington D.C. youth.? Gearin? Up Bicycles has played a major role in getting teens active while teaching them essential business skills.? They have an Earn-A-Bike program where youth ages 12-18 can volunteer and have the opportunity to build and keep their bike.? Jackson sat down with Waters to discuss just how profitable a career in bicycles can be.? Prior to COVID-19, Gearin? Up Bikes was selling 12 bicycles per month since then they?ve been selling between 55 to 60. bikes per month.? This is a true testament to the hard work that the children have been putting in.

During the conversation, Waters told Jackson just how impressed he was by their hard work.? It was then that he made Jackson aware of the $1,000 donation that he was giving to Gearin’ Up Bicycles on behalf of WUSA 9, Get Up DC, and in conjunction with Easterns Automotive Group.? This money will help them get more children involved in the program to keep things going.? Please visit http://gearinupbicycles.org to learn more about their youth programs and bike shop.

 

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

YouTube Link ? https://youtu.be/J0EFPTNd8OM

Road to a Better Community – Britepaths

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Summer is officially over and school is back in session.? However, the effects of COVID-19 have been endless.? Students across Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia have started virtual learning but not everyone has internet access.? A Fairfax, Virginia non-profit organization called Britepaths is dedicated to stabilizing low-income working families and providing support for children.? In Fairfax County alone, there are 13,000 households without internet access.? There are many factors that contribute to this in addition to the fact that the United States is in a global pandemic.? Millions of people are without jobs and the economy as we know it before coronavirus has completely changed.? Families have also had to shift their finances to accommodate teleworking and feeding their children throughout the day when they normally are at school.? Support from the community would be a huge help to help this number go down.

There is a huge digital divide that affects students in this area greatly.? Without the internet and proper resources, students are unable to learn remotely or complete their homework assignments.? Organizations like Britepaths are needed as the understand the problem and how it drastically affects this generation.? WUSA 9 and Easterns Automotive Group made the choice to highlight them for their Road to a Better Community segment.? They were able to chat with Lisa Whetzel, Executive Director of Britepaths to find out about their current initiatives and ways in which the community can help and get involved.

Joel Bassam of Easterns Automotive Group joined both Ellen Bryan of WUSA 9?s Great Day Washington and Liza Whetzel of Britepaths to discuss the digital divide and the impact that it is having on students.? Bassam committed to donating $2,000 on behalf of Easterns to four local families with children to have 6 months of free internet access.? The fact that these families will not have to worry about paying for internet access for these upcoming months is truly remarkable. If you would like to donate to the Britepaths Back to School program or learn more about the services that they provide, please visit: www.britepaths.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

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

 

Helping Hands – Fighting Pediatric Cancer with The Little Dig

Community,

 

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and the American Cancer Society spreading knowledge about pediatric cancer in a major way.? They created a virtual competition called The Little Dig where children will get down and dirty to raise money for pediatric cancer.? Parents will upload photos and videos of their children playing in the dirt to social media using the hashtag #TheLittleDig2020.? To support this initiative, Easterns Automotive Group and ABC7 WJLA-TV have made the choice to highlight this on the new edition of their Helping Hands segment. Easterns has vowed to donate $200 for every child that signs up for the The Little Dig.

ABC 7 caught up with Shaelyn Mullaney and her daughter Riley who is participating in the virtual competition.? Mullaney lost her father earlier this year from cancer so this cause means a lot to her and her family.? Riley is in second place already by raising $1,500.? The Executive Director of the American Cancer Society, Tswana Sewell let ABC7 know that it has been fun raising money thus far.? 12 kids have already signed up and raised a combined total of $6,000 which keeps growing.? Even Sewell?s niece London is participating in the challenge to honor her mother who is currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer.

While chatting with Sewell, ABC7 surprised her with a video from Joel Bassam of Easterns Automotive Group.? Bassam announced that he is committing $200 to every of one of their fundraisers throughout the rest of this.? All of the people that have already joined and those that will join will receive a $200 head start.? The competition ends September 30th so please click here to find out the official rules and how to enter.? A total of 5 winners will be selected on October 1st ? Most Money Raised, Most Individual Donations, Most Actively Involved on Social Media, Most Creative Dig, and Most Dirty.? All winners will receive prizes and tickets to next year?s event called The Big Dig which will take place on September 21, 2021. If you have any questions, please contact Shiri Rozenberg – shiri.rozenberg@cancer.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/XtatX0idFPo

 

Helping Hands – Surprising Prince George’s County families with new laptops for the school year

Community,

 

Back to school!? Many children across the DC, Maryland, and Virginia region are either already in school or preparing to go back.? COVID-19 has caused quite the challenge with most schools beginning the year using virtual learning.? This means that students will still have the ability to be taught by their teacher but it will be in the comfort of their home via computer.? Most school districts like Prince George?s County in Maryland have taken this route to flatten the curve and prevent the spread of the virus amongst students, teachers, and faculty.? However, the announcement of this new initiative came at the wrong time for many as they are experiencing financial hardships during this global pandemic.

Easterns Automotive Group and ABC 7 WJLA-TV joined forces to do something special for their Helping Hands segment.? Kidd O’Shea of ABC 7 greeted a few selected families that have been heavily impacted by COVID-19 at Magnolia Elementary School in Lanham, MD.? Joel Bassam of Easterns surprised them by having new laptops delivered to these families so their children will be able to attend school and complete their virtual learning programs.? No child should be left behind or excluded from learning due to a lack of resources.? The Prince George?s County Public Schools team is doing a wonderful job to ensure that children will be fed with knowledge even during this uncertain time.

Easterns Automotive Group continues to prove why they are the top car dealer in DC, Maryland, and Virginia.? For over 30 years, they have given back to their community, and partnerships like this with ABC 7 WJLA-TV allow them to continue making a difference in the lives of many.

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/ODCZxzA7GSA