COVID-19; Outreach/Philanthropy Archives | Auto Remarketing

Sheehy dealerships perform COVID-19 community outreach

In response to the coronavirus crisis, Sheehy INFINITI of Tysons in Virginia and Chantilly and Sheehy Ford of Marlow Heights in Maryland provided free disinfecting of automobiles for health care professionals.

That is just one example of how Sheehy Auto Stores and its 29 dealerships throughout Washington, D.C.; Baltimore, Annapolis, and Hagerstown, Md.; and Richmond, Va.; showed their commitment to the community and appreciation of frontline and essential workers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are committed to support our communities and salute those who risk their lives every day to save lives and battle this virus,” Sheehy Auto Stores president Vince Sheehy said in a news release.

Sheehy continued, “Each of our dealerships were challenged to develop their own community outreach programs to best serve their unique regions.”

To active healthcare workers throughout April and May, each dealership offered 50% off all vehicle and maintenance services (up to a maximum of $500 discount), for any make or model vehicle.

Additional individual dealership programs throughout the Washington, D.C. area:

— Sheehy Toyota of Fredericksburg provided car rental discounts to independent restaurants for delivery.

— Sheehy Ford of Warrenton held blood drives.

Donations of money, food, transportation and time to hospitals, food banks, essential frontline workers and school systems:

— Sheehy Subaru of Springfield donated $90,000 to INOVA and worked with all D.C. Subaru retailers in donating more than 800,000 meals to Capital Area Food Bank.

— Sheehy Ford of Springfield donated masks and auto sanitizing services to essential workers at area grocery stores.

— To students in need, Sheehy Toyota of Fredericksburg donated iPads, hotspots and meals.

— Patriot Harley-Davidson donated a percentage of merchandise sales to a local food bank.

— Sheehy Ford of Gaithersburg delivered 1,000 meals to underserved students each week.

— In conjunction with local food banks at the St. Lucy Food Project, Sheehy Nissan of Manassas organized two food deliveries each week.

— To support area food banks, Sheehy Ford of Warrenton organized food deliveries.

— To support essential workers and a local restaurant, Sheehy Honda of Alexandria donated meals to hospital staff at area hospitals.

— Sheehy Hyundai and Nissan of Waldorf donated meals to hospital staff at MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center Emergency Department.

— In Baltimore, Sheehy INFINITI and Lexus of Annapolis conducted blood drives. Sheehy Nissan of Glen Burnie & White Marsh conducted toilet paper giveaways.

— In Hagerstown, Sheehy Subaru, Volkswagen, Mazda, Buick & GMC participated in food deliveries and donations to food banks. Sheehy Subaru of Hagerstown donated more than $14,000 to the Humane Society of Washington County.

— In Richmond, Sheehy Ford of Richmond donated meals, and Sheehy Ford of Ashland donated $1,000 to ACES to replenish food supply.

Partnership provides free rides to caregivers of homebound seniors

Anna Maria Chavez of the National Council on Aging, or NCOA, says many families are seeking ways to support their older loved ones during the COVID-19 crisis.

“We are grateful to Lyft for stepping in to allow our senior centers to make free rides available to caregivers who need it the most during this crisis,” said Chavez, who is NCOA executive vice president and chief growth officer, in a news release.

Chavez is referring to a partnership between NCOA and Lyft to meet what they say are critical transportation needs of caregivers supporting homebound older adults during the outbreak.

Noting that older adults and people with chronic health conditions are at higher risk for severe complications from COVID-19, NCOA and Lyft say that is why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending that as much as possible, they stay at home during community outbreaks.

Lyft is piloting the project with the following NCOA member senior centers: AgeOptions in Oak Brook, Ill.; Brookline Senior Multi-Service Center and Transportation Resources, Planning & Partnership for Seniors in Brookline, Mass.; and Jewish Family Service of San Diego and On the Go in California.

The centers will receive a grant donation to support distribution of $15 and $25 Lyft ride credits for caregivers needing access to transportation to deliver food and supplies to their older loved ones staying home to avoid coronavirus exposure.

Lyft and NCOA say they plan on expanding the pilot to additional senior centers across the country.

MUH-TAY-ZIK/HOF-FER is an agency providing creative support for the project, and the agency’s chief creative officer and co-founder, John Matejczyk, said every good brand is useful.

“But these times call for every brand to be helpful,” Matejczyk said in a news release.

He said, “This program is an example of Lyft, NCOA, and their partners all stepping up to figure out how to be most helpful, together. We’re excited to continue to apply creativity against big problems with these great organizations.”