Tag Archives: Community

Giving a Lift: Southwest Sports & Fitness Alliance

Community

https://www.youtube.com/embed/H3jIcB__yS4?si=xs0w2N12C-xFln6a



At Easterns Automotive Group, we believe strong communities are built on opportunity, and that opportunity often begins with our youth. Sports and fitness not only build healthy bodies, minds, and spirits, but they also open doors to brighter futures. That is why we were proud to donate $2,200 to support the Southwest Sports & Fitness Alliance and their ongoing work to empower the young people of Southwest Baltimore.

Southwest Baltimore includes the Poppleton, Pigtown, Hollins Market, Franklin Square, Union Square, Mount Clare, and Barre Circle neighborhoods. These communities have faced decades of disinvestment. Many of the schools in these areas continue to struggle with limited resources, high teacher turnover, and deteriorating facilities. Yet, amid these challenges, residents and local leaders are pushing forward with hope and determination to create meaningful change.

The Southwest Sports & Fitness Alliance is at the heart of that movement. Their mission is to unite Southwest Baltimore through sports and fitness by offering safe, accessible, and affordable programs for children and families. Thanks to neighborhood and church volunteers, the Poppleton Recreation Center has been renovated and now serves as a hub for youth to learn, grow, and connect in a positive environment.

Beyond the game, the Alliance focuses on youth development and creating pathways for future success by offering scholarships, sports-focused summer camps, and workforce development programs that connect youth and adults with professional opportunities. Their work transforms not just athletes, but entire communities.

When we surprised the organization with our $2,200 donation, their gratitude was overwhelming. For us, the real reward is knowing that our contribution helps keep their programs running strong and continues to build confidence, discipline, and opportunity for the next generation.

At Easterns Automotive Group, we are more than a car dealership. We are a partner in progress, committed to driving change one community at a time.

Pay It Forward: Goodie Girl Bags

Community,

At Easterns Automotive Group, giving back to the community is at the heart of who we are. That’s why we’re proud to partner with FOX5 in their Pay It Forward initiative—spotlighting local heroes making a real difference.

This time, we had the honor of surprising Felicia Biles, Founder and President of Goodie Girl Bags, with a $2,200 donation to help her continue her life-changing work.

Founded in 2016, Goodie Girl Bags is dedicated to serving women facing homelessness by providing personal care items—with dignity. Each bag contains essentials like bras, feminine hygiene products, wipes, and liners, along with handwritten notes of encouragement from volunteers. The organization also supports breast cancer awareness, spreading kindness and compassion through every delivery.

Their outreach stretches from shelters to direct street outreach, meeting women where they are and making sure they feel seen and supported. Many recipients are moved to tears when they receive a bag—proof that the smallest acts of care can have the biggest impact.

Felicia was shocked and grateful when we presented her with our donation, which will help her purchase more inventory and secure a utility vehicle to distribute even more bags throughout the community.

Easterns Automotive Group is honored to support Goodie Girl Bags and their mission to restore dignity, hope, and confidence to women in need. Together, we can make a difference—one bag at a time.

Learn more about Goodie Girl Bags and how you can get involved. Your support can help change lives.

Helping Hands: Sweet Julia Grace

Community,

At Easterns Automotive Group, our mission has always gone beyond cars. We believe in driving hope, lifting our community, and standing by those who need it most. That is why we are honored to support the incredible work of the Sweet Julia Grace Foundation.

Recently, 7News Helping Hands introduced us to Sara Knight, a mother who turned unimaginable loss into a lifeline for others. In 2014, after losing her 12 year-old daughter Julia Grace to a rare genetic condition, Sara launched a foundation in her honor.

Through her grief, Sara saw a clear purpose. She wanted to walk alongside families of medically fragile children and ask one powerful question: how can we help?

The answers are never the same. Sometimes it means granting a wish. More often, it means meeting basic needs that other systems cannot always support. And it is not just about one-time help. These families need consistent support and connection with others who understand their journey.

When we learned about Julia’s story, we knew we wanted to be part of it. As a small gesture, we presented Sara with a donation of 1,100 dollars to help keep their mission going strong.

Her response said it all.
“Wow, thank you so much, you surprised me.”

To learn more about the Sweet Julia Grace Foundation and how you can support their work, visit sweetjuliagrace.org

Helping Hands: Clothesline Arlington

Community,

At Easterns Automotive Group, we’ve always believed that confidence drives success on the road and in life. Recently, we were moved by the incredible work of a local nonprofit making a life‑changing impact in Arlington: The Clothesline for Arlington Kids.

This organization was born out of a simple but heartbreaking observation. Co‑founder Ellen Moy noticed a little boy at her child’s school arriving every day in the dead of winter wearing only a blanket, flip‑flops, and socks. He couldn’t join his classmates for recess. He didn’t have what most of us consider basic clothing.

Ellen donated her son’s clothes to him, and overnight his world changed. He came to school with a coat, shoes, and the freedom to learn and play.That act of kindness became a mission. Together with Ben Sessions, Ellen co‑founded The Clothesline for Arlington Kids, a store‑like space where children from low‑income families can shop for a week’s worth of clothes. Privacy and dignity are at the heart of the experience. These children aren’t just handed garments—they get to choose what makes them feel good, strong, and ready to thrive in the classroom.

When we heard this story, we knew we had to step in. Easterns Automotive Group proudly extended a Helping Hand with an $1,100 donation to support their mission. It’s about more than clothes—it’s about giving kids the confidence to show up and shine.

To learn more about how you can help, visit clotheslinearlington.org. Let’s keep building brighter futures together.

Giving A Lift: Our Kids Read

Community,


At Easterns Automotive Group, we believe investing in our community means investing in the future. And there’s no future without literacy.

Recent studies paint a stark picture. In some school systems, up to 75% of students of color are reading below grade level. That’s not just a statistic. It’s a crisis. And it’s one Our Kids Read is tackling with heart, purpose, and results.

We recently had the chance to learn more about this mission from Jahmal Lake, Executive Director of Our Kids Read, during his interview with Shannon Lilly. What they’re doing is revolutionary. From virtual reading mentorships to brick-and-mortar access to free books, this nonprofit is reshaping what literacy access can look like in underserved communities.

In partnership with Scholastic and the Baltimore Community Foundation, Our Kids Read opened the nation’s first free bookstore at Eastpoint Mall in Dundalk. Already, it has served nearly 600 children, and they plan to reach 500 more by summer’s end. This isn’t charity. It’s change.

Their secret weapon? A data-driven model and two core programs. One of them, Community Buddies, matches students with volunteers who read with them virtually. Want to help? You can sign up to be a reading buddy directly on their website. Just a few minutes a week could change a child’s future.

The big question they’re asking is one we all should be: How do we get kids to put down the tablets and pick up a book? Their answer? Meet them where they are with stories that reflect their identities and passions.

At Easterns, we love to shine a spotlight on people doing the real work. That’s why we donated $2,200 to help Our Kids Read continue fueling their mission. When it comes to literacy, we’re not just turning the page. We’re helping write a better chapter.

Giving a Lift to Eastside Uplift in Baltimore

Community,

This month we were honored to support Eastside Uplift — a grassroots program in Baltimore dedicated to helping families meet their most basic needs. From food and groceries to utility payments and transportation assistance Eastside Uplift is filling the gap with compassion and action.

Started just last summer by Arnetta and Kenneth Shelton Eastside Uplift was born from personal experience. The founders understand what it means to struggle — having experienced homelessness and utility shut-offs firsthand. That is why they are committed to showing up for others with no strings attached.

They work through a growing referral network across the city and often deliver food and essentials directly to families in need. Their impact is powerful and the gratitude they receive at each doorstep says it all.

To help support their mission Easterns Automotive Group presented a $2200 donation during a live broadcast of FOX45 Morning News. It is just one way we can say thank you and help carry the vision forward.

Thank you to the Eastside Uplift team for being the kind of leaders every community needs. We are proud to be a part of your story.

Pay It Forward: The Language Arc

Community,

At Easterns Automotive Group, we believe in building strong, inclusive communities. Through our Pay It Forward partnership with FOX 5 DC, we’re proud to support local leaders who are creating lasting impact — like Londyn Jackson, founder of The Language Arc Learning and Wellness Solutions in Woodbridge, Virginia.

The Language Arc is a nonprofit dedicated to improving communication and connection for neurodivergent children. From therapy services to school partnerships, their work is rooted in understanding and adapting to the unique needs of each child they serve.

Londyn’s inspiration came from a deeply personal place. After watching her cousin navigate life with Tourette’s syndrome and witnessing the challenges her family faced in getting proper support, she felt called to take action.

“I’ve always been around children who need support and need proper support,” she told FOX 5. “I was really motivated to start something that was going to support them in a way that I felt was necessary.”

To help further their mission, we donated $2,200 to The Language Arc. We know that when we invest in the right people and programs, we’re investing in a stronger, more inclusive DMV community.

Thank you, Londyn, for creating a safe space where every child can thrive. We’re honored to support your journey.

Easterns Automotive Group Supports DC Peers During Autism Acceptance Month

Community,

At Easterns Automotive Group, giving back to our community is part of who we are. Through our Helping Hands partnership with ABC 7 News, we’re proud to highlight and support local organizations making a difference — especially during Autism Acceptance Month.

This month, we were introduced to DC Peers, a nonprofit in Northwest D.C. that provides a safe space for neurodiverse teenagers and adults to connect, build relationships, and support one another.

Founded eight years ago by Catherine Robertson, DC Peers began as a free, volunteer-led group focused on encouraging teenagers to socialize and grow together. Over time, it evolved into a nonprofit that welcomes middle schoolers, high schoolers, and adults up to age 60.

“What we’re doing is talking about neurodiversity, and that takes a little work, so I gave kids community service hours, and it grew from there into a social group,” Robertson shared.

Jacob Weisman, community manager for DC Peers, has been officially diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome and spoke about how meaningful the group has been for him. “I found it really meaningful connecting to my community and fostering connections for people who didn’t learn social skills as I did growing up,” Weisman said. “I’ve been able to connect with people and help provide them with space that they can come together as a community.”

Robertson emphasized that the goal of DC Peers isn’t to change participants, but to help them thrive. “Neurodivergence is inherited and it’s neurological, and we need to accept and understand [instead of trying] to change and fix,” she said.

After learning about the powerful work DC Peers is doing, Easterns Automotive Group was proud to make a surprise donation to support their mission and continued impact.

We’re honored to support an organization that empowers individuals to be themselves, build confidence, and find community. To learn more about DC Peers, visit dcpeers.org.

Easterns Automotive Group is proud to support organizations that lift up others and create lasting change.

Easterns Automotive Group Lends a Helping Hand to Food For Others

Community, Uncategorized

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjHaUAJu890

At Easterns Automotive Group, giving back is at the core of who we are. That’s why we’re proud to continue our partnership with 7News DC on their Helping Hands segment—this time to support Food For Others, a Fairfax-based nonprofit that’s been a safety net for thousands of families in Northern Virginia since 1995.

7News’ Kellye Lynn recently visited Food For Others’ 27,000-square-foot warehouse to meet Executive Director Deb Haynes and learn how the organization is addressing the growing need for emergency food in the region.

“Last year we had about 64,000 unique individuals in Fairfax County,” Haynes shared. “We operate as a food bank, a food pantry, and we run a weekend backpack program for school children. Some of our programs have increased by 30% since 2022.”

While emergency food assistance used to be viewed as a short-term solution, the pandemic shifted the landscape.

“We’re seeing a chronic need now,” Haynes explained. “Unemployment is low, but housing costs are extremely high. When families are struggling to pay rent, food becomes the first thing they cut back on.”

After hearing about the incredible reach and impact of Food For Others, we knew we had to step in and support their mission. Through our Helping Hands partnership with 7News, we were honored to present a $1,100 donation to help them continue their critical work.

“I am so happy to tell you that 7News is going to give you a Helping Hand,” said Lynn. “We have this check we want to present to you from Easterns Automotive Group in the amount of $1,100.”

Haynes was thrilled by the surprise gift.

“Thank you so much! This is really exciting. Thank you, and thank you, Easterns Automotive!”

We’re proud to stand beside organizations like Food For Others, who work every day to ensure no family has to go hungry.

To learn more about how you can support their mission, visit foodforothers.org.

Easterns Automotive Group Supports Olney Help in Their Mission to Fight Food Insecurity

Community,

At Easterns Automotive Group, we believe in uplifting the communities that have supported us for decades. That’s why we were honored to partner with 7News DC for a Helping Hands segment to support Olney Help, a nonprofit that has provided food and financial assistance to local families for more than 50 years.

Recently, 7News’ Kellye Lynn visited Olney Help to see firsthand the dedication of its volunteers, who were busy packing food boxes for families struggling to make ends meet. With rising costs of basic necessities, many of those seeking assistance are doing so for the first time.

“We’re packing non-perishable items for our family clients who are in need of food supplies because they’re short on money, not able to meet their rent or other medical expenses, but are desperately in need of food,” said George Yanisko, a volunteer at Olney Help. “All of this food has arrived because of the community—from churches and scouting groups to individuals—so we don’t have to purchase it.”

Easterns Automotive Group Lends a Helping Hand

Recognizing the tremendous impact Olney Help is making in the community, we wanted to show our support in a meaningful way.

“Because your organization has been making such a tremendous difference since 1969, we wanted to do what we could to assist you,” said Kellye Lynn of 7News. “It’s really a privilege to offer you this check from Easterns Automotive Group in the amount of $1,100.”

Expanding Resources for Families in Need

The need for food assistance has more than doubled in recent years.

“We had 62 families prior to COVID. We are now averaging 128 families per month, so we could use this!” Yanisko shared.

Organizations like Olney Help ensure that families don’t have to choose between paying rent and putting food on the table. Their work is made possible by volunteers and generous community donations, and we are proud to contribute to their mission.

At Easterns Automotive Group, we are committed to making a difference beyond our dealership doors. If you or someone you know needs assistance, or if you want to support Olney Help, visit their website to learn more.

For more stories on how Easterns is giving back to the community, stay connected with us.