Every child has a dream or a wish that they hope to accomplish in life.? Unfortunately, some children lack the necessary tools needed to bring their dreams to life.? Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic is a chapter of the larger Make-A-Wish Foundation that helps grant wishes to children fighting critical illnesses.? The impact left on a child after they receive their wish of time gives them the strength and inspiration needed in order to keep fighting.? Recently, Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic partnered with Easterns Automotive Group to provide a child with the dream of a lifetime.? Khiyon is wish participate that suffers from a severe form of epilepsy that results in him having seizures.? His wish was to be a basketball player because he always had a love for the sport.
Teamwork makes the dream work because Easterns and Make-A-Wish came together to provide Khiyon with the one in a lifetime opportunity to meet and practice with the Washington Mystics.? The players introduced him as part of the starting line-up; all while attending his very first ever live basketball game.? The Washington Mystics went on to become the WNBA Champions later in the season.?? These are moments that he and his family will cherish forever!
If you would like to learn more about Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic and how you either help or donate, please go to www.midatlantic.wish.org
The winter months are tough for the homeless of the DC metro area. With low temperatures and lack of shelter, it can be quite difficult for homeless people to enjoy the holiday season. WUSA 9 and Easterns Automotive Group teamed up to recognize a wonderful nonprofit that is going above and beyond to help the homeless of the community. The 25th Project was created by Jay Herriott of northern Virginia back in 2002 during Thanksgiving. Both he and his family helped give holiday meals during Thanksgiving and Christmas to homeless people living under bridges in Washington D.C. It was then that he realized that most homeless people aren?t helped during the rest of the year.
They started very small in the beginning by giving away 14 meals. However, The 25th Project has grown so much since then that they give away free meals during the 25th day of each month. This is equivalent to 1,000 meals each year thanks to the help of family, friends, and other organizations that come together to pitch in. If anything, Herroitt?s passion should inspire others to see what they can really accomplish with one small idea. The topic of homelessness truly hits home for him because he was very close to losing his own home at one point.
Reese Waters of WUSA 9?s Get Up DC met with Herroitt at Cookology?s Ballston Quarter location for a wonderful surprise. Waters presented Herroitt with a $1,000 check for The 25th Project courtesy of Easterns Automotive Group. This money will be used to help their tremendous Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday meal efforts. Please visit www.the25thproject.org to learn more about their upcoming events and how you too can donate or get involved.
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
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. However, the topic of breast cancer awareness has become much bigger than the one month it is celebrated. According to The Washington Post, 300,000 women each year are diagnosed with this disease while 40,000 are killed. The overall goal is to raise awareness and reduce the stigma around breast cancer through education on symptoms and treatment.
Fox 5 DC and Easterns Automotive Group came together as a team to impact women affected directly by this horrible sickness. For their latest Pay It Forward campaign, Allison Seymour of Fox 5?s Good Day DC stopped by Cherry Blossom Intimates in Glenarden, Maryland. They are a breast health facility and intimates boutique that specializes in bra fittings and post-mastectomy fittings. Seymour was able to speak to a few women affected directly with breast cancer and listen to their stories. LaWanda Fountain and Ricki Fairley were both diagnosed the disease and had to undergo a double mastectomy. According to Dr. Regina Hampton, co-owner of Cherry Blossom Intimates, the reason they both chose to go that route is to ensure that the cancer doesn?t return. Both women were cancer free for several years but LaWanda?s cancer recently returned. What?s beautiful about these ladies is their strength and resilience. They did not allow let this disease take control of their life while fighting for great health. The visits they have to Cherry Blossom Intimates are therapeutic for them.
Jasmine Jones, co-owner of Cherry Blossom Intimates came up with the idea to open the store after watching her grandmother suffer from breast cancer. She set out to create a safe space and great environment where women battling cancer can enjoy their shopping experience. Joel Bassam of Easterns Automotive Group surprised the women by sharing his own personal story about breast cancer. His aunt just finished her last round of radiation and is in remission now so this subject hit very close to home. To support their shop, Bassam presented Jones with a blank check for $1,000 to cover additional costs of any future customer not covered by insurance. He also gifted LaWanda and Ricki each a $500 gift card to their local spa for a day of pampering. What a wonderful treat for the holiday season!
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-cherry-blossom-intimates-helping-women-with-cancer
There?s nothing better than a good ol? surprise, especially during this time of the year. Saul Ramirez is a soldier in the US Army that was recently diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. He was stationed in New York earlier this year when this all happened and life changed for him pretty quickly. However, he discovered very early that he had a tremendous support system. His mother, Matilde Ramirez, moved from her home in California to accompany her son as he entered treatment at Walter Reed Bethesda Military Medical Center in Maryland. This year has been tough for both of them. Matilde literally left her entire life behind to become a caregiver to her son. She shared their story with the USO of Metropolitan Washington-Baltimore who decided to pass her story on the Washington Redskins.
Redskins and Easterns Automotive Gives Back to Family
The Redskins were eager to do something nice for this family as soon as they heard their story. They invited both Matilde and Saul to Redskins Park in Ashburn, Virginia. Dwayne Haskins of the Redskins was there to greet both of them and give them a personal tour of the entire training facility. Haskins even autographed jerseys and cleats for them as souvenirs. By the looks on their faces, this opportunity meant the world to them. The surprise of a lifetime came towards the end of the visit when Haskins presented Matilde with a $10,000 check from Easterns Automotive Group. As a company that always gives back, Easterns was truly touched by the great lengths that Matilde went in order to be there for her son during such a difficult time. Selfless acts like this deserve to be rewarded. Helping others is very important because you never know when you too may need a helping hand. In life, there is always someone that is going through a tougher obstacle than you. We hope that these stories inspire you and make you appreciate your health and the simple things that life has to offer.
Easterns Automotive Group would like to thank the USO of Metropolitan Washington-Baltimore, Dwayne Haskins, Washington Redskins, and Redskins Salute for connecting all parties and coming together to share such an incredible philanthropic moment.
Easterns Automotive Supports Food for Others Food Bank
The holiday season is officially upon us! For some, this is an exciting time of the year to celebrate with family and friends over food.? Many others, unfortunately, do not have the same luxury.? There are more than 75,000 people living in poverty in Fairfax County, Virginia.? A statistic that seems almost unreliable due to the fact that this is one of the Nation?s wealthiest regions.? Food for Others is a local nonprofit food bank that has been helping to serve those less fortunate since 1995.? Many families find it quite hard to make ends meet in general but especially during the holiday season.? Each week, they serve more than 1,800 local families with the help of their food drives and wonderful staff/volunteers.? The ultimate goal of Food for Others is to eliminate food insecurity.
Learn More About Food for Others
WUSA 9 and Easterns Automotive Group got word of their incredible work.? They chose to highlight Food for Others in their Road to a Better Community segment.? A box truck courtesy of Easterns surprised their entire team by delivering 1,009 pounds of food to help pack their warehouse.? As a company, Easterns is no stranger to providing food to the community.? Earlier this year, Easterns supported furloughed federal workers in the government shutdown by donating 10,000 each week to local food banks until the end of the shutdown.? 2019 has certainly been tough but it?s great to know that many families will have great meals for Thanksgiving.? Please visit www.foodforothers.org to learn more and find ways in which you too could donate or volunteer to such a great cause.? Let?s help one another!
Eastern Motors Partners with WPGC 95.5 to Present Educator Award
A few weeks ago, WPGC 95.5 in Washington D.C. announced the opportunity to nominate an outstanding educator for their contest in partnership with Easterns Automotive Group (Eastern Motors). Many candidates were nominated but there was one in particular that stood out. Andrea Hoes, a second-grade teacher at Staton Elementary School in SE, D.C. was selected as the winner. Ms. Hoes was nominated by a number of family and friends for her tremendous hard work as a teacher. Joe Clair of the Joe Clair Morning Show on WPGC 95.5 made the announcement at For Sisters Only (FSO 2019) by bringing her on stage and presenting her with the $1,500 check courtesy of Easterns. $1,000 of the money is for personal use and $500 is for classroom spending. Please see below to read some of the nominations that we submitted on Ms. Hoes? behalf.
Submissions:
“Andrea Hoes has worked tirelessly for over a decade to change lives for elementary students in one of the city’s most disadvantaged and underserved areas. Her creative approach to teaching (using pop culture references and innovative games to teach simple concepts) is second to none. She built an entire mock Chick-Fil-A drive thru in the classroom to teach students how to count currency and make purchases. Years after her students leave the classroom they keep in contact with Ms. Hoes to update her on their life’s progression. Her students are her life and she would be incredibly honored to be surprised with this award.”
“Every student that crosses paths with Ms. Hoes turns out to be different than when she first met them. Most of her students come in broken, lost, or afraid. Her goal for them is to help evolve them and to show them you can be and do anything in life,” another said. “She gives her students the love, attention and she nurtures them as if they were her own. Her way of teaching is out of this world. She engages and makes students want to learn and come to school EVERYDAY! Every year she spends her money on classroom decorations and she gives them a party for EVERY holiday. She?s been an educator for more than 10 years; her teaching performance is through the roof. She?s not your typical elementary teacher; she?s so much more and is very deserving of this award!”
“My cousin Andrea Hoes deserves to be an honored educator because she has dedicated her life to making our future brighter.?Even when she isn?t at the school she continues to educate as a cheerleading coach for Dynamic Cheer. She is the BOMB!”
“I nominate Andrea Hoes for a chance to win this award. She is very kind, considerate, and has a loving connection with her students. She is outstanding in and out of the classroom. She is always creating different, hands on methods for her students to learn. I constantly see her pouring into her students effortlessly. Whether it be a nice compliment, a hug, a gift, or a small party with good food and treats. She definitely knows the way to those kids hearts. She is a great teacher, mentor, friend, and cheerleading coach. I can see her passion for teaching through her creativity. She makes learning a wonderful and entertaining experience.”
“Andrea Hoes is a great teacher at Stanton Elementary in SE she gives her students her ALL…. she is a very amazing person let alone and educator! But don?t just take my word for it ? ask her current and previous students!!!”
“Ms. Andrea Hoes, is the most unsung hero?I know when it comes to being an extraordinary educator. As a parent I thank?her and appreciate all that she does?for her class, she sacrifices more than her time in and out of her classroom.”
Easterns and Get Up DC Donate to Leveling the Playing Field Program
Who doesn?t want to help the kids!? Our friend, Reese Waters at WUSA 9 found a wonderful nonprofit organization based in the Washington D.C. area to help out.? Waters is the head of the Get Up Give Back segment on WUSA 9?s Get Up DC morning program.? The organization that he selected is called Leveling the Playing Field (LPF).? They specialize in providing underprivileged children with the opportunity to pursue youth sports.? Founder of LPF, Mike Levitt, came up with the idea during his time of working as an equipment manager with Syracuse University?s football team and with the Washington Redskins/Montgomery County Recreation during the summers.? He saw so much sports equipment go to waste and he knew that it would have much better use.? It is important to him that the youth of less fortunate communities receive the equipment to further athletic participation.? Finances play a huge part in childhood sports.? Many children are unable to play due to expensive equipment and lack of sources.
Learn More or Donate to LPF
The monetary donations that LPF receives go towards lowering registration fees which allows more children to participate.? LPF has donated sports equipment to over 300 schools and programs in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area and the list keeps growing.? Waters called on his good friends at Easterns Automotive Group to help them out.? Easterns donated $1,000 to LPF which will certainly go a long way.? For every $25 that they receive, LPF is able to gift one child the sports equipment that they need to participate in a sport.? If you would like to learn more about LPF, donate, or volunteer ? please visit www.levelingtheplayingfield.org
Happy Halloween everyone! This holiday truly gets more and more exciting every year with the creative costumes and fun events around the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area.? However, not every parent has the necessary funds to ensure that their child has a wonderful Halloween.? Costumes can be quite costly depending on the character or theme but Del Ray Business Association in Alexandria, VA decided to step up and help less fortunate kids.? For the past twenty three years, they have been paying it forward to their community by collecting costumes so that all children are able to have the ultimate Halloween experience.? The Del Ray Business Association coordinates with nonprofits and enlists volunteers to full all of this off.? They invite kids in need of a costume to the Mount Vernon Rec Center where they are able to choose from racks of costumes until they find the one that they like.? Every child deserves to have an incredible Halloween despite their families? financial status.? The Del Ray community truly comes together as one and even has a large Halloween parade every year so they kids are able to interact with each other and show off their costumes in a safe space.
Fox 5 DC and Easterns Automotive Group got word of the fabulous work that the Del Ray Business Association is doing in addition to giving back to the kids.? They decided to Pay It Forward to them on their Fox 5 DC segment.? The ladies that run Del Ray Business Association were invited to the Good Day DC studio where they were surprised by Joel Bassam of Easterns.? Joel gifted them with the remaining costumes on their wish list so the kids will have a variety to choose from.? Just in time for trick or treating! Be safe everyone and enjoy Halloween 2019!
It?s important to recognize both incredible people and organizations that work very hard to help others in the community.? This idea is the reason that WUSA 9 and Easterns Automotive Group came together to form their Road to a Better Community series.? They search the entire DC, Maryland, and Virginia community to find great causes to shine a spotlight on and contribute to.? Recently, they got word of a wonderful therapeutic horseback riding inclusion program that also provides equine therapy.? Lift Me Up is located in Great Falls, Virginia and is committed to teaching riding skills to both children and adults with various disabilities.? They are able to help people improve their balance, core strength, and flexibility.? Riders at Lift Me Up range from ages 3 to 60 years old.? Kim Buseman suffers from multiple sclerosis but has been coming to Lift Me Up for 23 years.? ?If I can?t see, feel, tough, or smell a horse I?m not a happy person,? she said.? The impact that Lift Me Up has on the community on its riders speaks volumes.? Thanks to their lovely volunteers and instructors, they have been able to continue growing and teaching more than 100 riders each week.
WUSA 9 and their camera crew recently joined Joel Bassam of Easterns Automotive Group at Lift Me Up.? Bassam presented them with a check for $2,500 to support their 100 for 100 program which will go a very long way.? If you would like to learn more about Life Me Up and how you can either support or volunteer, please visit: www.liftmeup.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
It speaks volumes when a person goes above and beyond to help others in need.? Jonathan Bell is a former patient of Children?s National Hospital in Washington D.C.? When Bell was a child, he suffered from kidney failure but unfortunately this was in the 1940s before many medical advances.? There was so such thing as dialysis at that time so he spent much of his childhood in and out of the hospital.? His personal health experience inspired him to become a volunteer at Children?s National Hospital.? Bell has been volunteering for over 20 years and is truly an inspiration for being a selfless individual that chooses to put others first.? It was and still is important to him to make a difference in the lives of sick children and encourage them to persevere and appreciate the top-tier medical care they have been given.? Thanks to Bell, the children in the hospital are able to talk and work with someone that has been in their shoes and directly affected by health issues firsthand.
Fox 5 DC and Easterns Automotive Group of DC, Maryland, and Virginia teamed up to surprise Bell during their Pay It Forward segment.? Maureen Umeh, host of Good Day DC, surprised Bell with Fox 5 DC cameras during his volunteer hours at Children?s National Hospital.? Joel Bassam of Easterns was also in attendance to present Bell with a $1,000 gift card to help him buy books and supplies to continue his volunteer work.? To top it off, Bell also received tickets to take his grandchildren to the Washington Nationals baseball game.? He has been a Nationals fan for years so being able to witness the excitement on his face was truly priceless.? We must congratulate the Washington Nationals as they are now playing in the World Series against the Houston Astros.? If you would like to learn how to be a Patient Care Volunteer at Children?s National Hospital, please visit www.childrensnational.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.
