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A Helping Hands Story: Common Good City Farm

April 18, 2018
Michael & Son
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It Feels Good to Give Back! Our Michael & Son technicians come across some incredible people with heartbreaking stories. When they find they have nowhere to turn in a time of need, that’s when we come in…to lend a helping hand!

Common Good City Farm is an urban farm that teaches agricultural skills and provides fresh produce to the DC community. Their mission is “to create a vibrant, well informed, and well nourished community through urban farming.” On the farm they grow things such as fruit trees, culinary and medicinal herbs, and over 50 different types of vegetables! However over the past few years, as use has increased and become more sophisticated, their plumbing had deteriorated. Sinks stopped draining, water stopped running where it needed to, and volunteers were often times ankle-deep in mud while washing freshly harvested vegetables.

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When Michael & Son Plumbing technician Antonio Diaz came out for a regular service call, he noticed there was quite a bit of work that needed to be done to get the farm back to proper operating conditions. After speaking with Rachel Callahan, Executive Director of Common Good City Farm, and learning that there was no room for the necessary repairs in her budget, Antonio “felt that there was an opportunity to be able to do something for the community that we serve.” That’s when he reached out to the Michael & Son Cares Team to explore the possibility of donating our services as a way of giving back.

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After going over the project with Rachel and making sure we had everything in order to restore the farm back to operating conditions, the work began! Over two days Michael & Son technicians replaced water lines, installed new sinks, drains and faucets, as well as ceiling fans and electrical outlets in the farm’s pavilion. The farm could finally “function at a higher level so [they] can focus on producing great food and making connections with community members.”

Watch the video above to see the full project and remember, “If You Can’t, We Can!”

For more information visit CommonGoodCityFarm.com

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The Tale of Two HVAC Systems

February 22, 2017
Michael & Son
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Michael & Son is back this weekend with another episode of Helping Hands. This week, we meet a family in the making and a couple whose strong bond of over 40 years carried them through an unimaginable tragedy. On a rainy night in Madonna Maryland, Delano Draine was making his way home to his wife. Delano was full of optimism; he was 6 days from retirement and ready for some long overdue relaxation. A hard working man since a young age, Delano spent years in the military and then settled into a job as a corrections officer. The hours were long, the work was dangerous and the stress was tolling; Delano was glad to be done with it. As Delano weaved down the wet and winding road he had no idea his life was about to change forever. Out of nowhere, a deer appeared in the middle of the road, Delano swerved to avoid it and everything went black.

When Delano opened his eyes he was upside down inside is car. He felt a tremendous amount of pain but was still able to fish his phone out of his pocket. His first call was to 9-11 and the second was the hardest call he’s ever had to make. Forty minutes away from where Delano lay suspended in his car, Shelley, his wife, was preparing a late dinner for two. Around 9:15 pm, Shelley received a phone call that left her pale and trembling. The voice on the other end was her husband, he was badly hurt and being rushed to the hospital. Shelley grabbed her bag and raced out the door; she knew it was serious but she had no idea Delano would never walk again.

Delano had nearly severed his spine and there was no hope for recovery, he would require a lifetime of around the clock care. Because the VA and other government agencies could not or would not provide him with the care he needed, Shelley was forced into early retirement and began the painful vocation of caring for a suffering loved one. Because of the ever mounting medical bills, the Draine’s were unable to afford home repairs that were essential to Delano’s well-being. One of those repairs was to the homes furnace, and as the winter grew colder, it became critical that the family had a reliable heating system. That’s when The Michael & Son Cares Program stepped in.

 


 

Not too far from the Draine home, Brandi Boxely nervously sat in her cold living room huddled next to a space heater. She could feel her baby kick and every thrust of her tiny feet was like the tick of a clock; Brandi was just weeks away from delivering her baby and her home had no heat. Prior to her pregnancy, Brandi was involved in a serious car accident that left her temporarily disabled and unable to work. With her extended stay at the local hospital over with, Brandi was excited to return home. As she stepped through her front door, she ran into a wall of heat.

While Brandi was recovering in a hospital bed, her HVAC system was in its death throes. After finding out she was pregnant, Brandi set out on a mission to repair or replace her HVAC system. Being out of work and unable to pay her bills left Brandi deeply in debt. As a result, she was not qualified for financing and none of the HVAC contractors in her area were willing to take payments. One Sunday morning, Brandi happened upon “Helping Hands” on NBC. She took down the number at the end of the show and decided to take one last shot at getting assistance..

Want to find out what happens next? Tune into Helping Hands on NBC, Saturday at 7:00 pm. Also, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and subscribe to our YouTube page to find out about upcoming episodes, special events and much more!

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Triumph Over Adversity – The Alvin King Story

January 16, 2017
Michael & Son
4 Comments

The Michael & Son Cares Program, which helps families with home repairs they cannot afford, recently met a very inspirational young man named Alvin King. Alvin was born with no arms or legs and reached out to the Cares Program for assistance with a faulty and dangerous hot water heater. After meeting Alvin King and his mother, The Michael & Son Cares Program repaired the water heater, then went above and beyond to make Alvin and his mother’s life a little bit easier.

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Since the day he was born Alvin King has struggled with adversity. During his mother’s pregnancy, Alvin‘s mother was given a little known drug for nausea with many unknown consequences which were not expressed by her doctor. One rare side effect of the medication was limb loss during the pregnancy term. As as result, Alvin was born with no arms or legs.

Despite the monumental challenges Alvin faces, he always keeps a positive outlook on life and works hard at being as independent as possible. Alvin is able to lift weights, negotiate flights of stairs and even play basketball. One difficulty both Alvin and his mother have been unable to overcome has been transportation. Without a handicapped accessible vehicle, traveling by car is described by Alvin as “painful and dangerous”, causing Alvin to miss physical therapy appointments, family gatherings and most importantly to Alvin, church. IMG_2408

After meeting Alvin King for the first time, Proud Son and owner of Michael & Son Services Basim Mansour decided he would purchase a handicapped accessible van for the King family. “I’ve met a lot of truly amazing people in my life but no one quite like Alvin” said Basim Mansour, Proud Son and Owner of Michael and Son Services. “I found the few hours I spent with Alvin and his mother to be so rewarding, I felt compelled to pay him back” continued Mansour.

See the full story on the Series Premiere of NBC Helping Hands, returning Saturday, January 21st at 9:30am. Check your local listings for airtimes and also, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and subscribe to our YouTube page to watch full episodes of Helping Hands on demand!

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A Breath of Fresh Air

September 15, 2015
Michael & Son
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Anthony and Michelle Hinton paced the ER as they waited for an update from the doctor on call. Although nights in the hospital were becoming a regular occurrence, the Hinton family dreaded every second; but no one likes having their child in the hospital, especially for breathing difficulties. The main culprit behind their child’s frequent asthma attacks was a faulty HVAC unit and filthy ducts. While it would seem that the problem would be easily remedied with a simple replacement unit and duct cleaning, for some families it’s just not that simple.

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 Anthony Hinton had proudly served his country for many years in the US Military. Before entering the service, Anthony was an outgoing young man who loved spending time outdoors, family gatherings and live sporting events. However, upon returning from his second tour overseas, something had changed inside him. Anthony began having panic attacks when in wide open spaces or enclosed areas. As time went on, his conditioned worsened and soon he was not able to work. Around the same time, his wife Michelle was diagnosed with severe arthritis and fibromyalgia. With two serious conditions attacking her joints and muscles, Michelle began losing her ability to work full time and before long found herself laid off and unable to work.
As the families health problems mounted, so did their bills. Soon, they were only able to meet their most basic obligations and things like home repairs went on the back burner. As their son began to experience more frequent and prolonged asthma attacks, the family took him to see a specialist where they learned poor indoor air quality was triggering the episodes. With that news, the family knew they could not wait any longer and reached out to the Michael & Son Cares Program.
Want to find out what happened next? Tune into Helping Hands, Saturday at 7:30pm on NBC4 to see the whole story. Also, Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and subscribe to our Youtube page to find out about upcoming offers, special events and much more!
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Season 4 Finale; Helping Hands

March 30, 2015
Michael & Son
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Over the past 5 years, I’ve had the privilege of working with families in our community as the head of the Michael & Son Cares Program. If you have not already heard of us, we are a local home improvement company that helps disadvantaged families with essential home repairs they cannot afford. From restoring heat to cold homes to surprise visits from celebrities; the Michael & Son Cares Program has brought smiles, tears and hope to dozens of recipients in the D.C., M.D., and V.A area. Not unlike Michael & Son Services, The Cares program has grown by leaps and bounds over the past 5 years. One of our proudest achievements regarding the Cares Program is the creation of the Helping Hands T.V. show, which documents the charitable work of the Cares Program.

The Cares Program, like Michael & Son Services, has modest beginnings. Today you can hardly drive a mile without seeing a signature blue Michael & Son truck. It was not always that way; in fact it all began with one van and a two man team. In 1968, Mousa “Mike” Mansour came to this country with a vision, to build a family business that his children could one day inherit. An electrician from an early age, Mousa’s natural inclination towards the trade was apparent in his work and he landed a Union Electrician job. On weekends and nights Mousa worked side jobs with his 6 year old son, Basim, tagging along as his pint sized apprentice. It was during those impressionable years of watching his father work that Basim Mansour learned the meaning of hard work, dedication and punctuality. He also learned the importance of giving back to the community that kept him in business. Mousa was not a wealthy man but a generous man nonetheless. He would never leave a family without power on a cold night because they couldn’t afford cost. To him, the smiles on the faces of those families he helped was worth far more than any amount of money. These instances that were witnessed by Basim left an indelible impression on him that would influence the way he would one day run his own business.

On June 1st 1990 Mousa “Mike” Mansour suffered a fatal heart attack, leaving his family and community devastated. At the young age of 19, Basim picked up where his father left off and began his own business, Michael & Son Services. Today the company has over 200 employees, offers comprehensive home services and spans four states and our nations capitol. As the business has grown, so has the number of Cares Program recipients. The CaresProgram reaches thousands of people each week through the local TV program “Helping Hands”, however, we hope to inspire more businesses and individuals to give back to their communities in any way they can. If you or someone you know is in need of assistance, please visit michaelandsonhelpinghands.com for more information.

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Against All Odds

February 24, 2015
Michael & Son
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When Michele Pulaski gave birth to twins Josh and Sarah, she and her husband Jordan could only see a bright future for their family. A few weeks later, the clouds began to gather when Sarah was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis. Sarah’s meningitis caused massive brain damage and as a result she is now left a quadriplegic. She also suffers from epilepsy, hypothermia and is vision impaired. Sarah’s mother was told that she would never have cognitive functions beyond that of an infant. But against all odds, Sarah has defied her diagnosis and 8 years later she is learning to sing songs, play games, and brings a smile to everyone she meets!

Just when the family had begun to adjust to life with a disabled child, tragedy struck again. At the young age of 39, Jordan Pulaski was diagnosed with a rare neuromuscular disease that affects only 200,000 people worldwide. As Jordans condition progressed he began to lose mobility and today, like his daughter Sarah, is quadriplegic and confined to a wheel chair.

Sarah and Jordan worked hard their entire lives and excelled in both their educations and careers. Unfortunately, because Jordan and Sarah require a lifetime of costly medical care, the family is saddled with debt and with both parents only able to work part time, the family was unable to afford essential home repairs.

After watching the NBC program “Helping Hands” the Pulaski’s reached out to the Michael & Son Cares Program for help with a broken water heater and alterations to make their bathrooms handicap accessible. Michael & Son Services stepped in and provide the family with the all the home repairs at no charge.

Along with providing families with free home repairs,The Michael & Son Cares Program also surprised the family with special gifts like floor seats to Wizards games, organizing special events and even hospital visits from celebrities. The Pulaski family surprised everyone when they requested that in lieu of a gift, the Cares Program make a donation to their favorite charity, The National Epilepsy Foundation. Needless to say, everyone involved with the program was deeply touched by the families generosity and concern for others.

Helping Hands documents the work of the Michael & Son Cares Program and their community service program which provides free home repairs to those in need, local showtimes listed below.

Washington DC WRC NBC4

2/28       9:30 – 10:00 AM

Norfolk: WVEC

2/28       9:00 AM

Richmond WTVR

2/29       11:30 PM

Baltimore WMAR

2/28       6:30 PM

Charlottesville WVIR

2/28       9:30 – 10:00 AM

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Charlie Crohare; Bean Bag Extraordinaire

January 26, 2015
Michael & Son
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Charlie Crohare; Bean Bag Extraordinaire

In Helping Hands Season 4, Episode 4 our story features April Crohare, a strong mother of two, who balances volunteering work at her son’s school, being a member of the PTA, and helps other local families with disabilities navigate through agencies, to obtain the correct medical products. She uses her experience to uplift and assist other people, and that we find to be, truly incredible!

The star of this episode however, is her eldest son Charlie, an incredibly brave six year old, who has a disorder extremely similar to that of Miller Dieker syndrome. He has the brain development of a two-month year old baby, and with that, suffers from daily seizures (some lasting up to forty-five minutes at a time.) On top of this, he also suffers from hypothermia, is color blind, and is confined to a wheel chair. Charlie has outlived his diagnosis by many years, and is a ray of hope who inspires us all! Charlie has a younger brother, Mathew, to

The Crohare family had an extension built on to the home, and it’s where Charlie spends most of his waking hours. The room has a wood burning stove that not only irritates Charlie’s respiratory system, but eventually caused a fire, – luckily no one was hurt. When the owner of Michael and Son, Basim Mansour, heard of Charlie’s condition, he knew we had to help. The HVAC department installed a mini split in the room, allowing Charlie to breathe much easier!

We are so thankful to the people who donated their goods to Charlie, and helped to make this episode a true example of Helping Hands. Ahh Bean Bags – who donated a bean bag chair (below is an image of Charlie enjoying his chair), and to Go Bananas who generously donated a music board.

April Crohare found out about the Michael and Son Cares Project after watching an episode of “Helping Hands.” She contacted our Project Manager, Shadi Tahrawi for help, and he was quick to get her information in front of our owner.

If you or anyone you know needs home repairs done by the way of: plumbing, electrical, heating, air conditioning – please contact Shadi at: shadi.tahrawi@michaelandson.com.

Tune in Saturday January 31st at 9am on NBC 4 to see how Michael & Son came to the aid of a family in need. 

Click here to watch this episode!

Washington DC WRC NBC4 

1/31       9:00 – 9:30 AM

2/7         9:30 – 10:00 AM

2/21       9:30 – 10:00 AM

2/28       9:30 – 10:00 AM

3/14       10:00  – 10:30 AM

3/21       10:00 – 10:30 AM

Norfolk: WVEC

1/31       9:00 AM

2/7         9:00 AM

2/21       9:00 AM

2/28       9:00 AM

3/14       9:00 AM

3/21       9:00 AM

Richmond WTVR

2/1         11:30 PM

2/8         11:30 PM

2/22       11:30 PM

2/29       11:30 PM

3/15       11:30 PM

3/22       11:30 PM

Baltimore WMAR

1/31       6:30 PM

2/7         6:30 PM

2/21       6:30 PM

2/28       6:30 PM

3/14       6:30 PM

3/21       6:30 PM

Charlottesville WVIR

1/31       9:00 – 9:30 AM

2/7         9:30 – 10:00 AM

2/21       9:30 – 10:00 AM

2/28       9:30 – 10:00 AM

3/14       10:00  – 10:30 AM

3/21       10:00 – 10:30 AM

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Family trip to the Baltimore Aquarium!

January 13, 2015
Michael & Son
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Family trip to the Baltimore Aquarium! 

In Helping Hands Season 4, Episode 2 we showcase Monet and Greg Caldwell, a hardworking couple who recently had a young daughter named Skyler, the younger sister of adorable Noah Caldwell. Skyler was diagnosed with a thyroid issue at 2 weeks, and things have been really tough for the family to make everything work with their crippling medical bills, as doctors predict Skyler will need surgery at just 15 weeks old.

After Skyler’s diagnosis, doctors warned she was highly susceptible to infections because of thyroid complications, and further infections could lead to closing of her breathing passageways and possibly, subsequent death.

Over the summer, the family’s HVAC went out, and Money Caldwell stayed strong without A/C throughout her pregnancy!

Our owner Basim Mansour heard of this story, and knew we had to intervene. Michael & Son techs came in and saved the day with installing a brand new HVAC system! Afterwards, Michael and Son sent the family on a trip to the Baltimore Aquarium, complete with a dinner at the amazing Chart House restaurant in Annapolis, Maryland.

If you would like to speak with Basim Mansour regarding the Michael & Son Cares Program, please contact Shadi Tahrawi at (571) 237-8209 or shadi.tahrawi@michaelandson.com. Media outlets are free to use the text, videos and images in any TV, print or radio media.

Trip to the aquarium!

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Washington Capitals Mike Green, Surprises Fan!

January 9, 2015
Michael & Son
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Bobby Hicks  

When Bobby Hick’s returned from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, he didn’t expect to face another battle. A devastating diagnosis of Leukemia left Bobby and his family wondering what the future would hold, or if he would have a future at all. Too add to the Hick’s family’s woes, their already problematic HVAC system and water heater gave out just as the winter season begun. With no where left to turn, the family reached out to the Michael & Son Cares Program.

“When the Hicks story was brought to my attention, I knew we had to help” said Basim Mansour, Proud Son & Owner of Michael & Son Services. “Here’s a guy who gave so much for his country and asked so little in return; I not only wanted to help them with their home repairs, I wanted to do something really special for Bobby.

The Michael & Son Cares Program and The Verizon center had worked in conjunction to plan a special surprise day at a Washington Capitals game for Bobby and his family. When an extended stay at the hospital for intensive treatment foiled those plans, The Cares Program and Verizon Center decided to bring the Washington Capitals to Bobby.

When Bobby Hick’s woke up Sunday morning he didn’t think he would be meeting his idol and star defenseman for the Washington Capitals, Mike Green. Taking time from his busy schedule, Mike Green surprised Bobby at Fairfax Hospital with a signed jersey and skates. It was a moment Bobby and his family won’t soon forget.

If you would like to speak with Basim Mansour regarding the Michael & Son Cares Program, please contact Shadi Tahrawi at (571) 237-8209 or shadi.tahrawi@michaelandson.com. Media outlets are free to use the text, videos and images in any TV, print or radio media.

Click here for a clip of this visit! 

 

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New Season of Helping Hands!

January 8, 2015
Michael & Son
0 Comments

Our latest episode featuring Mike Green of the Washington Capitals, airs this weekend!

Make sure to tune in! Showtimes below:

Washington DC WRC NBC4 

1/10       9:30 – 10:00 AM

1/17       9:30 – 10:00 AM

1/31       9:00 – 9:30 AM

2/7         9:30 – 10:00 AM

2/21       9:30 – 10:00 AM

2/28       9:30 – 10:00 AM

3/14       10:00  – 10:30 AM

3/21       10:00 – 10:30 AM

Norfolk: WVEC

1/10       9:00 AM

1/17       9:00 AM

1/31       9:00 AM

2/7         9:00 AM

2/21       9:00 AM

2/28       9:00 AM

3/14       9:00 AM

3/21       9:00 AM

Richmond WTVR

1/11       11:30 PM

1/18       11:30 PM

2/1         11:30 PM

2/8         11:30 PM

2/22       11:30 PM

2/29       11:30 PM

3/15       11:30 PM

3/22       11:30 PM

Baltimore WMAR

1/10       6:30 PM

1/17       6:30 PM

1/31       6:30 PM

2/7         6:30 PM

2/21       6:30 PM

2/28       6:30 PM

3/14       6:30 PM

3/21       6:30 PM

Charlottesville WVIR

1/10       9:30 – 10:00 AM

1/17       9:30 – 10:00 AM

1/31       9:00 – 9:30 AM

2/7         9:30 – 10:00 AM

2/21       9:30 – 10:00 AM

2/28       9:30 – 10:00 AM

3/14       10:00  – 10:30 AM

3/21       10:00 – 10:30 AM

Thank you so much to Monumental Sports, the Verizon Center, the Washington Capitals, and to Mike Green!

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