Easterns Blog

There has been a huge shift in the way people are choosing to run their businesses and organizations since the COVID-19 hit.? John Wood owns a restaurant called 29 Diner in Fairfax, Virginia that had to close temporarily at the beginning of the pandemic.? Having a restaurant that is struggling to survive is certainly stressful, but Wood put his space to use.? Wood was able to convert 29 Diner into a free community pantry to help feed those in need during this unprecedented time.? Although he wasn?t happy with the status of his restaurant, he also knew and respected the fact that so many more people need more help than him.? Those people include front line workers, first responders, and at-risk youth.

What started as a small project several months ago ended up turning into a long-lasting event.? 29 Diner began to get filled with groceries and household items for those in need.? Wood also took the initiative to get a food truck and deliver free meals with the help of his loyal team.? He has seen a great amount of support from the community in terms of donations to keep this going.? However, Wood is no stranger to giving back and supporting his people.? He has a program called Feed a Vet and Save a Vet for veterans that raises awareness about suicide prevention and has fed over 8,000 people this year alone.

ABC 7 and Easterns Automotive Group made the decision to feature Wood and his 21 Diner on their latest Helping Hands segment.? Wood was surprised and excited to chat with the ABC 7 team and even received a special surprise from Joel Bassam of Easterns.? They played Wood a message from Bassam saying that he would be receiving a $1,500 donation from Easterns to continue his incredible work in the community.? If you would like to learn more about 29 Diner?s Mobile Free Food Pantry & Free Kitchen or make a donation, please visit: www.29diner.com

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/aW30xVFChmU