Tag Archives: Community

Pay It Forward – Here For A Reason

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There is no doubt that Fox 5 DC and Easterns Automotive Group have been doing everything in their power to assist those in need during the COVID-19 pandemic.? They are always looking for people and organizations who are going above and beyond to help those in need.? A nonprofit that is doing an incredible job of this is called Here for A Reason.? This organization focuses on providing educational and financial assistance to individuals living with a disability or a rare condition.? Their vision is to completely eliminate the financial impact that is tied to one?s medical condition due to limited resources and guidelines associated with health insurance.? Melanie Oates is both the founder and Executive Director of Here for A Reason.? Oates developed a passion for helping families of special needs children because she has a special needs child herself.

As a single mother of twins, Oates is committed to doing everything she can to assist them.? She even had to quit her job due to her twins needing 24-hour supervision.? This decision caused a huge financial strain on the family but as a mother, Oates had to do what was in the best interest of her children.? At one point, she had almost lost her home, but she ended up getting the help that she needed.? It was at that moment that she realized other families were facing the same struggles. This inspired her to create Here for A Reason.

Oates was surprised by the Pay It Forward crew ? Maureen Umeh Fox 5 DC and Joel Bassam of Easterns during her latest GasGiving 2020 initiative.? The goal of the campaign is to raise enough money to gift gas cards to 100 families undergoing treatment at Children?s National in Washington D.C.? The price of gas is quite expensive especially when traveling back and forth from the hospital.? Bassam was able to speak with Oates virtually about his admiration for her and her nonprofit and wanted to celebrate by donating $2,000 to the organization.? This money will help reach the goal of the campaign and more.? If you would like to learn more, get involved, or apply for assistance ? please visit: www.hereforareason.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/XmE4HGNNFYQ

 

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

 

Pay It Forward – Helping Fight Food Insecurity Amid The Pandemic

Community,

 

There is so much uncertainty in the world due to the long-lasting effects of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.? Millions of families have been affected by job loss and are struggling to make it and put food on the table.? Local food banks and pantries have stepped up to help provide as much food as possible.? However, they have seen a decline in donations making it hard to serve all of the families in need.

St. Anne?s Episcopal Church in Damascus, Maryland stepped up to the plate when the pandemic first hit in March to assist families.? They have been able to feed numerous families with the help of their neighbors and the donations received from local organizations like Manna.? In the beginning, they were only thinking this would be a short term thing.? Nobody had a clue that the pandemic would last nearly a year and only get worse as the months went on.

Fox 5 DC and Easterns Automotive Group got wind of the amazing work that St. Anne?s Episcopal Church was doing in the community and decided to pay them a visit.? Marrisa Mitchell, the new host of Good Day DC was able to chat with Cindy Lippet, a volunteer for St. Anne?s that has been helping out with the fox boxes.? She let everyone know that they are always in need of food and donations to keep their operation going.? It was then that Joel Bassam joined their zoom call to announce that he would Pay It Forward on behalf of Easterns. Bassam donated $2,000 to help them purchase fresh meat and produce.? This money will go a long way on their journey to help feed as many families as possible.? If you would like to learn more about St. Anne?s Episcopal Church ? find donation times or volunteer information, click here.

 

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/0R-8ImGy7Ow

 

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

 

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