Experienced by Adrian McQueen
Photos by Adrenaline Lifestyles
We are back in the giving season and Project Giveback made sure that #GiveBackSaturday would return and make a large impact for it’s 26th year. This year was a bit different due to COVID-19, so to adhere to the social distancing guidelines volunteers were limited and we broke the campaign into two days. So we now have #GiveBackSaturday and GiveBackSunday. Project Giveback is a charitable initiative that targets the DC Metropolitan area. With pods setup all over the area, volunteers work overtime to make sure their areas are covered. We cover the Edgewood area of Ward 5 with our friend and colleague Silas Grant. Silas is a native Washingtonian of Ward 5 and pulls together friends and family to support in supplying an ample amount of turkeys and care packages for more than 400 families in N.E. Washington, D.C. I have taken great pleasure assisting with this movement and watching its growth from inception.
Project Giveback was birthed in 1995 when a few friends came together and made Thanksgiving a little brighter by delivering grocery baskets to six impoverished families. Project Giveback, ran by Ransom Miller III, is now 26 years into existence and typically held at the D.C. Armory. This location serves as home base, where organizations, nonprofits and community members show up each year to collect, pack and distribute boxes of food. Thanks to the generosity and philanthropic nature of the good people at Ford, we were provided a 2020 Ford Ranger Supercrew 4×4 Lariat to deliver the goods to all at-need families.
All week Silas Grant worked feverishly collecting names and addresses for the at-need families who would be receiving these care packages. The morning started out at DeMatha Catholic High School loading up all the trucks with turkeys, fresh fruit, fresh produce and many other goods that would be delivered to the at-need families. I received the 5 foot bed model Ranger that proved very efficient when loading the turkeys and boxes, being that the donations reached heights this year than they ever have before.
Helping Others With Life, Artisans Fine Jewelry, Adrenaline Lifestyles, C.I.T.L.R (Champagne In the Locker Room) and many more manned the Edgewood post, giving out goods to the community. As we delivered turkeys around the city I could surely tell that we were putting the 2.3L EcoBoost engine to use. Throughout the day we received many compliments on how we arrived in style. The 18” Magnetic Painted Aluminum wheels kicked off most of the conversation, followed by how the FX4 Off-Road package that really set everything off.
Instead of the typical pickup truck, which usually only features two front doors, we were offered the SuperCrew model, with a rear bench allowing the truck to seat up to five people. The four doors sure came in handy as all of us got in and out at each stop to make the deliveries. It was fun piling up in the Ranger comfortably while the goods were secure in their dedicated placements. Driving the vehicle around was a pleasure and came replete with enough compartments to house our checklists, laptop, bags and phones. Also, the Rear Back Up Camera and Rear/Forward Parking Sonar was very much needed through some of the tight driveways and city alley streets. The model that we reviewed comes in at $46,910.00 and very well worth price tag considering all that can be done with it.
I always say, “As blessed as we are, it is our duty to give back to those that are less fortunate.” I will continue to live by the motto and move forward with uplifting the communities around me. Stay tuned as we continue reaching out to families and communities in need of assistance. Enjoy the photos.
