(Eagle News) – As part of the celebration of its 50th anniversary, Eagle Broadcasting Corporation’s bureaus in the United States conducted outreach activities that included helping Samaritan House, an organization in Virginia that helps homeless families and victims of domestic violence and human trafficking.
The event, spearheaded by EBC’s Washington D.C. Bureau in partnership with the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ), a global church active in community service and outreach programs, was lauded by US officials, including US lawmakers representing the state of Virginia.
US Rep. Scott Taylor of the 2nd congressional district of Virginia, and US Rep. Bobby Scott of Virginia’s 3rd congressional district described it as a life-changing event that “truly made a difference” in their community.
They commended EBC and the INC for holding the event, and thanked them not only for their work but also for their future projects that would help their communities.
“You are truly in the frontlines and it is your work that makes a difference in our community, and empowers victims in the most profound way,” said US Rep. Taylor in a speech during the April 24 turn-over of EBC’s donations, commending both the EBC and the INC, and also the Samaritan House for their efforts in the community.
US Rep. Scott said that through the event, EBC was able to greatly help the Samaritan House and its cause of helping homeless people and victims of abuse.
“This event is a great event. We’re celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Eagle Broadcasting and giving recognition to the Samaritan house a great facility that deals with homelessness and victims of domestic violence. It’s a great day,” he said.
US Virginia’s delegate for the 82nd district, Jason Miyares, a former prosecutor for many years in Virginia Beach, said the outreach event made a “huge impact” on the people whom EBC and INC helped that day.
“To be able to help organizations like Samaritan house that desperately needs it, I think it just says so much about what EBC is, what it values and how ones it fundamentally helps people,” said US Virginia delegate Miyares. “I think it’s gonna have a huge impact.”
Other US officials there were Robert Dyer, city of Virginia Beach councilmember representing Centerville district, and Cheryl Turpin, Virginia delegate from 85th district.
-EBC commended for 50 years of “excellent broadcasting”-
For her part, Turpin congratulated EBC for its 50 years of “excellent broadcasting and journalism around the world,” while Dyer expressed gratitude for the “wonderful collaboration” of the Church, EBC and Samaritan House, “for what they have done and will continue to do.”
In his opening remarks during the turn over ceremony of donated items, held in Virginia Beach, Matt Talens, EBC representative explained the media organization’s decision to do community service projects.
“EBC celebrates its golden year as a media organization with bureaus across the United States, bringing EBC’s mission to life through projects that aim to have a positive impact on the community,” said Talens. “The Washington D.C. Bureau has sponsored this community outreach project in cooperation with the Church Of Christ in the District of Mid-Atlantic.”
INC District Supervising Minister, Brother Matthew Capistrano, also commended the Samaritan House for their work.
“We heard that we had this opportunity to help the Samaritan House. How can we tell them, come back another time? So we took that opportunity to do it right now. We have to do it right now,” he said.
The Samaritan House provides resources and programs and services to victims of violence in any form.
According to US statistics, “1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have been victims of (some form of) physical violence by an intimate partner within their lifetime.”
-Moving moment-
Samaritan House officials thanked EBC and INC for the “overwhelming” help they gave to their organization.
“It was all overwhelming we did not anticipate even a small fraction of what came to us today it is just such a blessing for us and to the hundreds of clients that you’re gonna have a great impact on,” said Tom Higgins, Director of Development of the Samaritan House.
In fact, EBC’s donation activity that day more than fulfilled Samaritan House’s wishlist of needed items that the donations overflowed in their facility.
Katherine Ashford, Development Coordinator of Samaritan House, described the occasion as a “moving moment” and said that through the kindness of EBC and the Church their clients are empowered to have a fresh start knowing they are not alone. She encouraged everyone to know more about the Samaritan House organization and to partner with them to continue fulfill the victims’ needs “nationally and internationally.”
“Thank you Church of Christ. Thank you Eagle Broadcasting for everything that you’ve done for the Samaritan clients, the Samaritan staff and for our mission to end violence and homelessness in all shapes and forms,” she said.
-EBC’s outreach and public service projects-
EBC’s outreach activity in Virginia Beach was just one of the many activities of EBC to mark its golden year which aims to fulfill its mission to care for the audience’s total well-being, not just by giving well-balanced news but public service activities as well. It currently has television (NET 25), AM radio (DZEC Radyo Agila), online news (eaglenews.ph), FM radio (PINAS FM 95.5), and film (EBC film) portals.
Other public service and community service projects were also done in EBC’s headquarter in Quezon City, Philippines including helping local schools through a feeding program for school children, citronella-tree planting, clean-up drives, and other outreach activities as well as public service efforts wherein EBC headquarters opened its doors to government services so these could reach more people.
EBC, which has bureaus all over the world, currently has television (NET 25), AM radio (DZEC Radyo Agila), online news (eaglenews.ph), FM radio (PINAS FM 95.5), and film (EBC film) portals. Soon, it will also have E25 Records.
(with reports from Chay Masagca and Sarah Nacman Gonzales, EBC Washington DC Bureau, Eagle News Service)