Easterns Automotive Group and Fox 5 DC have both been hard at work since COVID-19 hit the DMV region. The pair created a new segment called Virtual Hugs for Heroes under their Pay It Forward umbrella. The purpose of this was to highlight and give back to the frontline employees that still have to work through this pandemic. Coronavirus has certainly impacted everyone in negative ways, but several positives have come out of it too. This has given many a new perspective on things that are important in life and brought the community closer together during such an unknown time.

In celebration of hard-working men and women on the frontlines across the DMV, both Easterns and Fox 5 DC wanted to put a spotlight on a special group of individuals. They chose to recognize 911 dispatchers at the McConnell Public Safety and Transportation Operations Center in Fairfax, Virginia. These are the people that we call to talk us through an emergency and send immediate help. With so many people dying and getting ill from coronavirus, many of these dispatchers are working around the clock. Working 12-hour shifts is certainly no easy task especially in the middle of a pandemic.

The Pay It Forward team wanted to show these dispatchers their appreciation for the hard work that they continue to put in. Easterns Automotive Group purchased lunch for the entire dispatch team from Choong Man Chicken in Fairfax, VA. It was important to them every dispatcher receives a hot meal because nutrition is extremely important especially while working those long hours. The wonderful owner of Choong Man Chicken donated 500 PPE bundles to the dispatch team as well. As an organization, the staff at McConnell Public Safety and Transportation Operations Center remains dedicated to helping people in need. They are working with Communities of Trust to collect items for families. If you or someone you know would like to help this cause, please visit www.communitiesoftrust.com

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/rPI_zzQd1PI

Link to original post ? https://www.fox5dc.com/news/community-comes-together-to-provide-free-meals-for-911-dispatchers

Easterns Automotive Group and Fox 5 DC have kicked their philanthropic efforts into overdrive during the COVID-19 pandemic. It has truly been a rough time for people in general but especially healthcare professionals and first responders. There has been a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) around the country that has affected the way doctors and nurses do their job. However, they have remained strong and united in fighting this disease.

As partners, Easterns and Fox 5 DC recognizes the numerous sacrifices that healthcare professionals have made during the pandemic. The pair made the choice to Pay It Forward by providing free meals from HalfSmoke to over 200 nurses and staff at Howard University Hospital In Washington D.C. It is important that they are properly nourished while working these long shifts. Fox 5 DC cameras were on site to capture the meals being dropped off to Chief Nursing Officer of Howard University Hospital, Dr. India Medley. She took some time to speak with both Allison Seymour of Fox 5 DC and Joel Bassam of Easterns on a video call. Dr. Medley discussed the dangers of coronavirus, steps that her team is taking, and ways to flatten the curve. As a country, we are truly lucky to have such great healthcare workers that risk their lives each and every day to keep Americans healthy and safe.?

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/Tx28l8jbblI

Link to original post ? https://www.fox5dc.com/news/community-comes-together-to-provide-enough-food-to-feed-200-hospital-workers

Unfortunately, COVID-19 aka coronavirus has affected over 5,000 people to date just in Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia alone.? With all non-essential businesses closed in the area many businesses have begun to suffer.? All restaurants are closed for dine-in but still remain open for takeout and delivery.? A Montgomery County woman by the name of Julie Sapper joined Mandy Starley Coelho?s Facebook group that supports Montgomery County restaurants during this economically tough time.? They order takeout from local area restaurants and donate the meals to the staff at local hospitals.? By doing this, they are able to help keep certain restaurants afloat while still helping the healthcare workers working day and day out to help patients with this virus.

The success of Heidi Forster Gertner inspired Sapper after finding out that she raised almost $9,000 to feed the staff at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland.? Sapper reached out to Shady Grove Hospital in Rockville, Maryland to set up the same thing with them.? She had the help of a great sponsor, Mitch Wool of the Bean Bag Deli & Catering Company who is helping them to deliver 1,400 meals to their emergency room staff.

Easterns Automotive Group and Fox 5 DC got wind of this and decided to Pay It Forward.? Normally, this segment is done in person but due to coronavirus and social distancing, all parties decided to do a video conference.? Joel Bassam of Easterns Automotive Group joined Sapper and Allison Seymour of Fox 5 DC to make a donation for $2,000 to keep their wonderful work going. If you would like to join this Facebook group to support Montgomery County restaurants, please 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/WnGYO04ZwxI

Link to original post ? https://www.fox5dc.com/news/montgomery-county-residents-come-together-on-facebook-to-feed-hospital-staff

Easterns and Fox 5 DC Pay It Forwards to OnSide

Easterns Automotive Group loves joining their Pay It Forward family at Fox 5 DC to give back to get people in the DMV community.? The pair are always looking for people and non-profit organizations that are worthy of being recognized.? They came across Zayd Ali who is the founder of OnSide, a soccer diplomacy program that brings refugee children together through the game of soccer.? Ali was a well-traveled as a child because he and his family used to travel to different countries.? It was during that time that he discovered how big the massive yet universal the game of soccer is around the world.? Of course, this helped and inspired him to develop his own love for the sport. ?

About OnSide

Ali came up with the idea for OnSide after a conversation with an Uber driver from Brazil.? They talked for the whole ride about soccer which ended up being 25 minutes.? He realized the impact of soccer and how much it could affect the lives of young children.? OnSide is a group that brings together refugee children through the game of soccer and teaches them about different cultures and backgrounds.? They also raise awareness through their programs about critical issues affecting the community and teach children the power of tolerance and acceptance. ?

Easterns and Fox 5 DC Donate to OnSide

Corey Bassam of Easterns Automotive Group surprised Ali and the OnSide team along with Allison Seymour of Fox 5 DC.? Bassam gifted Ali with 50 soccer balls for the kids of OnSide along with a check for $1,000 to go towards their upcoming events.? OnSide is always accepting donations as they are a non-profit organization that serves the youth in the community.? If you would like to learn more about OnSide or how you can help their mission, please visit www.onside.world for more information. ?

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/p2YBe6PVOTM ?

Link to original post ? https://www.fox5dc.com/news/dc-teen-connecting-refugees-to-communities-through-soccer ?

Valentine?s Day Pay It Forward

Hopefully, you all had a wonderful and happy Valentine?s Day. This year, Easterns Automotive Group and Fox 5 DC decided to come together for their Pay It Forward segment in honor of the special day.? Recently in the news, there was a missing child in Elkridge, Maryland that was found by a USPS worker along I-95. Keith Rollins was en route to BWI Airport where he picks up mail when he discovered the little boy on the side of the road. Rollins? close observation potentially saved the little boy?s life. Fox 5 DC cameras followed Allison Seymour down to the USPS in Friendship Heights where she paid Rollins and his co-workers a visit. She gifted him with flowers, chocolate, and a Valentine?s Day dinner for two courtesy of Easterns Automotive Group. It was important for him to know how much he is appreciated by the community. However, the giving didn?t stop there; Seymour also gifted boxes of chocolate to his incredible USPS co-workers and thanked them for their hard work.

The Pay It Forward team went up the road to Wegmans in Lanham, Maryland to surprise Valentine?s Day shoppers with some treats. Mike Thomas of Fox 5 DC was on-site to pass out gift cards, flowers, and chocolate to customers as they were leaving the store. Thomas gave Easterns Automotive Group a huge shout-out for providing everything needed for the giveaway. It was truly refreshing to see all of the customers being so cheerful and kind to one another. It?s clear that love was in the air!

Selfless acts deserved to be recognized! Easterns Automotive Group and Fox 5 DC came together for yet another edition of their Pay It Forward segment.? This time, they chose to highlight and recognize a college football player by the name of Mike Mushaw.? Mushaw is a 19-year old college football player a Central Connecticut State University.? Recently, he participated in a national bone marrow drive that changed the life of a young girl in our area.

A two year old by the name of Eleanor had been suffering with severe immune deficiency since she was born.? Her doctors added her to the National Bone Marrow Registry during a hospital stay at Children?s National Hospital in Washington D.C.? They had no clue that they would soon receive a call saying that they found a match.? However, Mushaw wasn?t your typical donor.? He went above and beyond to keep in contact with the family.? When Eleanor was healed, she and her family went to visit Mike in Connecticut plus attend a few of his football games.? Mike even took it upon himself to travel to the District to surprise Eleanor for her birthday and the completion of her treatment.

Fox 5 DC and Easterns Automotive Group invited Eleanor and her family to a live taping of Good Day DC.? Allison Seymour had the opportunity to chat with Eleanor and her mom live on camera.? They even had Mushaw call in via Skype.? Joel Bassam of Easterns Automotive Group arrived on set to surprise Mushaw by announcing that his team will be given a post season dinner party courtesy of Easterns.? Bassam also gifted Eleanor with a subscription to Koala and a $1,000 donation in each of their names to Be The Match: The National Marrow Donor Program.

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/good-day-dc/college-football-player-donates-bone-marrow-to-save-little-girl-creates-lifelong-connection

The giving just doesn?t stop in the world of Easterns Automotive Group and Fox 5 DC.? The pair recently came together to support a great cause by the amazing folks over at Capital Caring Health.? Capital Caring has been helping patients cope with serious illnesses by offering 24/7 compassionate care.? They also provide art therapy to help children deal with the loss of a parent. Unfortunately, there are children of two families that have recently lost their fathers to sickness.? Capital Caring has vowed to create an outlet for them to cope, heal, and deal with their grief and trauma is extremely important.?

Until recently, art therapist Monica Delaney was packing up and traveling to the children at their home so she can help turn their pain into creativity.? However, the Capital Caring team decided to create a special room that would be for art therapy at their headquarters in Falls Church, Virginia.? The idea sounded great but there were no funds to complete this passion project.? This is where Fox 5 DC and Easterns Automotive stepped up to help out with the room and surprise the children.? Easterns Automotive Group was able to complete the room by purchasing over $7,000 of art supplies, furniture, and books.? Fox 5 DC cameras captured Allison Seymour and Joel Bassam as they showed children the room for the very first time.? They were so excited to know that they have a safe space to show off their artistic skills.? Joel also gifted one of the kids an art set and the $50 dollar e-gift cards for the other two to purchase new games.? Their smiles were priceless!

Special thanks to Jerry and Drew of the Easterns team and the staff at Capital Caring Health for helping transform this room in such a short amount of time!?

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-capital-caring-health-helps-children-cope-with-the-loss-of-a-parent

We hope that the first few days of 2020 are going great for all of you! Before 2019 ended, Easterns Automotive Group and Fox 5 DC came together to help teen parents by participating in a local diaper drive. When you are strapped for cash and trying to finish school every little bit helps. Fairfax County Public School system created the Project Opportunity program at Bryant High School in Alexandria, VA for this exact reason. Being able to help the students with diapers takes off stress and allows them to be more focused in school. Many children in the program are very adamant about overcoming adversity and showing their children that they too can overcome anything.
Cory Bassam of Easterns Automotive Group surprised the Project Opportunity partners live on Fox 5 DC with snacks and gift cards but the giving didn?t stop there. Several cases of diapers were donated to the Fox 5 Diaper Drive on behalf of Easterns as well. These will all go to the students and hopefully make their winter months a little bit easier. We encourage you all to give back if possible. Not only does it feel great to do but you have the ability to impact so many people and children in need. If you would like to learn more about the Fox 5 Diaper Drive or find diaper drop off locations, please 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.

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