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Living With ALS

May 1, 2015
Michael & Son
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Living With ALS

Anyone with a Facebook account remembers the “ice bucket challenge”, you may have participated yourself. Basically, it involved someone making a video of having a bucket of ice water dumped over there head and then challenging a friend to do the same. The whole point was to spread awareness about ALS but the sad fact is many people didn’t really understand why they were doing it or what ALS actually is. Another important point missed during the entire challenge was the fund raising aspect; most people just wanted to make a fun video for their Facebook page. At the end of the day, the challenge raised awareness and a good deal of money but what about the people who suffer with ALS and their families? Before we go in to that aspect, let’s cover some basics…

What is ALS?

Before Facebook, ALS was widely known as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease” and is a relatively rare disease with approximately 30,000 diagnosed people in the U.S. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is a progressive degeneration of the nerve and brain cells that communicate with the brain and facilitate movement. As the disease progresses, patients began to lose muscle control and can eventually become totally paralyzed.

Challenges of ALS

ALS presents a myriad of issues for the patient and their families. Physical suffering, mental anguish and finical ruin are just some of the ways a disease like ALS can affect a patient and their family. As the disease makes its way through the nervous system, the patient begins to lose mobility and suffer excruciating pain. Day to day life becomes an ever growing challenge and the most basic human function, like taking a single step, becomes a monumental under taking. As the patient takes on these grim milestones, their homes need to be altered along the ADA (Americans with Disability Act) guidelines and that can be very expensive.

Everything from bathrooms, stairs, the kitchens, bedrooms and anywhere the patient frequents needs to be made accessible for someone with limited to no mobility. Without help from an outside organization, making a home accessible for someone with disabilities is nearly impossible for most families. Watching a loved one’s physical health literally deteriorate is extraordinarily tolling on the family and can have a dramatic affect on young children. Coupled with finical stresses, the entire family must learn to adapt to significant changes that alter not only the patient’s life but theirs as well.

Meet the Murray’s

The Murray family is no stranger to the struggles of living with ALS. When Mike Murray received his diagnosis, he and his wife Dena knew their lives dramatically change. They also knew that they would need help. After meeting others families who were living with ALS, the Murray’s learned the true extent of the finical cost they would incur beyond medical bills. When Michael began to require 24 hour a day oxygen, the family worried about losing during a storms, which frequently occurred in the rural area of Virginia where they live. Then, on an especially stormy night, the family’s worst fear was realized. After a loud crash of thunder, the homes lights went out and a loud alarm rang out from Mike’s monitors. Mike’s oxygen was cut off and he was unable to breath, Dena dashed to call 911 as she prayed he would survive. Because of the distance from their home to the hospital, Mike was taken by helicopter to the emergency room.

As Dena watched her home disappear in the distance from the helicopter window, she began to wonder if Mike would come home, and if he did, would he survive the next power outage? Dena began investigating residential backup generators and quickly learned it was something the family would not be able to afford. She began to look for help and reached out to a dozen different not for profit organization and businesses but kept hitting brick walls.

After watching Helping Hands on NBC, Dena reached out to the Michael & Son Cares program. Find out what happened next by tuning into the upcoming season of Helping Hands. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and subscribe to our YouTube page to find out more information about the upcoming season of Helping Hands.

Living with ALS - Michael and Son Blog Living with ALS - Michael and Son Blog Living with ALS - Michael and Son Blog

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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.

Pulaskifamily mikegreencares1

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Michael and Son comes to rescue for single mom!

February 5, 2015
Michael & Son
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If you drive from the suburbs of D.C. and down through Northern Virginia, you’d hardly see any signs of the financial crisis that swept through the country. From the Mc Mansions of Fairfax and Arlington to the sprawling estates of Clifton; Northern Virginia has some of the wealthiest communities in the country. While there are many within those communities who are struggling, you could never tell from a glance. There is one place, however, that stands out among the upper class communities; Triangle. Over the last several years, Triangle, Virginia has become a virtual ghost town. Boarded up businesses and foreclosed homes fill the landscape of an area that was once a thriving part of Northern Virginia.

Just off the freeway in a dilapidated home lives a single mother named Mary and her son, Elias. Mary had to give up working to care for Elias who suffers from Spina bifida. Requiring, 24 hour care, Elias is confined to a wheel chair and unable to speak. That leaves his mother responsible for literally every single daily activity; from taking showers to brushing his teeth. Because of her inability to work, Mary could not afford the much needed repairs to her home. The list of repairs was a long one; a new roof, HVAC system and the most daunting of them all, repairs to the foundation. She had reached out to many different organizations for help but the scope and size of the job was always more than they could handle.

One Saturday morning, Mary had a rare opportunity to relax and watch TV. She caught an episode of Helping Hands and decided to send a letter requesting assistance. “When I saw the Helping Hands, I was amazed by the things Michael & Son was doing in the community” said Mary. “I just had this feeling that this was the answer” continued Mary. She was right, just days after her letter was sent the repairs on her home were underway. With the help of other local businesses, the family received all the repairs to their home at no cost.

Helping Hands

 If you or someone you know is currently facing a hardship and is unable to afford home repairs, please contact the Michael & Son Cares Team. Michael & Son Services established their “Cares” charitable campaign in 2010 providing essential home services to local families in need.  To date, the program has assisted over 20 families in the area.  They are also proud sponsors and supporters of Dreams for kids, Saltwater Soldiers and Susan G. Komen. Michael & Son Services has been serving the greater DC metropolitan area for over 30 years with electrical, plumbing, heating, A/C, construction and handyman services. Make sure you tune in this weekend to see this incredible story for yourself, showtimes listed below.

Our motto has always been, “If you can’t, we can!”  Visit us today, at www.michaelandson.com.

BasimElias 
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Washington DC WRC NBC4 

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

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

2/8         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

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

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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The History of the Cares Program

March 28, 2014
Michael & Son
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community-300x300

Michael & Son Services continues to give back to the community through its “Michael & Son Cares Program”. In the last few months we have received hundred of applications from people all over VA, MD and DC who are in need of assistance with essential home repairs they can not afford. The popularity of the TV show “Helping Hands”, coupled with the harsh economic climate, has applications pouring in every week. While Michael & Son would like to assist each and every family who reaches out to us, we cannot. Instead we can try to influence and inspire other businesses to do the same. At Michael & Son, we believe it is the responsibility of businesses to help people in the community during their time of need. Much like a politician must serve the constituents in his/her community, a business is obligated to do the same for those that keep their doors open.

While nearly all businesses, small and large, make some sort of contributions to charitable organizations, Michael & Son prefers to be more hands on. Being able to meet the families, see their homes and hear their stories makes for a very rewarding experience. While Michael & Son makes many contributions to charitable organizations, the one on one experience of the Cares Program has proven to be the most rewarding. The smiles on the faces of our Cares Recipientsare far more valuable than any award or citation we could receive.

BasimPress
The popularity of the TV show “Helping Hands”, coupled with the harsh economic climate, has applications pouring in every week.

The Cares Program is an extension of the Michael & Son philosophy. Community service is simply part of our culture as a company. While in the early days of Michael & Son there was no Program designated for community service, the company was always willing to lend a Helping Hand. The beginning of the Cares Program may have dated back to the early 1990’s when a young Basim Mansour (Proud Son and Owner of Michael & Son) was on a call to a home with no power. When Basim arrived he found a small, cramped one level home inhabited by young children and the elderly. It was the dead of winter and the family sat huddled around a rickety space heater. One look at the panel box and Basim knew he was dealing with a very involved and costly job. He also knew that the cost would be well beyond the families means. After speaking with the homeowner, Basim’s instincts proved to be accurate. The family would not be able to afford the work, let alone the small, nominal dispatch fee.

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“That moment was one of the most uplifting experiences of my life; ever since then I’ve been chasing that feeling”.

Basim knew he could not leave the family without power and heat but he also knew Michael & Son (at the time) was in no position to be working pro-bono. Basim decided to seek advice from the one man he could always turn to for advice, his late father, Mike. After explaining the situation to his father, he received the advice that he had been waiting to hear. “There is no question about it, make sure the family has heat and power before you leave tonight. It’s our obligation to give back to the community, where would we be without them?” said Basim’s father. Following the phone call, Basim would proceed to work through the night repairing the family’s electrical problem. “When I flipped the switch and the heat kicked on, the faces of the children lit up with joy and their mother began to cry” said Mansour. “That moment was one of the most uplifting experiences of my life; ever since then I’ve been chasing that feeling”.

 

At Michael & Son, service goes beyond turning a wrench or snaking a drain. It means being woven into the fabric of the community and making a difference every chance we get. We hope that through the work we do, others will be inspired to reach out to those in need. If you or someone you know is in need of help, please contact us through our Facebook page or just give us a call. You can see the Cares Program in action by watching Helping Hands on NBC4. Also, like us on Facebook, follow us onTwitter and subscribe to our YouTube page and find out about special events, great savings and much more!

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Helping Hands Returns

July 31, 2013
Michael & Son
1 Comment

MS-Sewerwater

When a Richmond special needs educator and single mother Debra Greene discovered she had sewer and septic issues, she did not know where to turn. With three children and a constantly rising cost of living, Debra had to choose between a costly home repair and providing essentials for her family. As time went on, the problem continued to worsen. After seeing the Michael & Son Services program “Helping Hands” Debra sent a letter directly to Basim Manour, Proud Son of Michael & Son Services and hoped for the best.

“When I received Debra’s letter it immediately struck a chord with me” said Basim Manour. “Following the death of my father, my mother raised us as a single mother. I know the struggles and hardships single mothers faces; I was happy to help take part of the burden off her shoulders” continued Mansour.

Michael & Son Services stepped in and provided all repairs to the Greene family free of charge. The repairs, which totaled over $7,000, used heavy machinery and a crew of workers to compete the work over the course of two days. Following the repairs, an elated Mrs. Greene had a working sewer system and a large burden off her shoulders.

Michael & Son Services established their not for profit “Cares” charitable program in October of 2010 which assists community members during their time of need.  To date the project has helped over 15 local families and in the process won them the Washington Business Journal’s regional Jefferson Award recognizing philanthropic efforts.  In addition to their community based program, Michael & Son actively sponsors Dreams for Kids, Salt Water Soldiers and the Police Unity Tour chapter IV.

 

Watch Helping Hands on NBC!

Like us on Facebook!

Follow us on Twitter!

Share your Michael & Son experience!

 

 

 

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