Archive for year: 2023

Coming into November, we were unsure if we’d be able to meet the demands of our clients. It’s been a tough year for nonprofits, and So What Else is no exception. With 10,000 families relying on our Montgomery County, DC, and Baltimore teams to provide them with the poultry and produce they needed for Thanksgiving, we had our work cut out for us.

Thanks to the tireless efforts of our staff and volunteers, the many organizations and community members that hosted food drives on our behalf, and the hundreds of supporters that donated over $17,000 to our Thanksgiving Giveback, we were able to meet the challenge head-on and give our clients the Thanksgiving they deserve. Here are some of the highlights:

  

In Baltimore, we distributed 770 chickens to families in need and supported 16 food distributions across the city with produce and other holiday items, the largest of which fed over 1,000 people! One of our wonderful partners, Rev. Dr. Sheila Davis, shared, “Thank you so much for your generous donation of fruits, vegetables, and bread to our Empowerment Temple AME Church. It was a huge success, and it blessed so many people. God bless So What Else Inc. for the great work you do to help those in need.”

   

Our Washington, D.C. team was also able to distribute 800 chickens throughout the community! We were also able to distribute 800 chickens across 10 sites in Washington, DC!

   

The impact didn’t stop there! Across Montgomery County, we gave out nearly 2,000 chickens to families in need. While we weren’t able to purchase poultry for every client, we worked our hardest to ensure everyone could put food on their table for the holiday. When combined with other recovered food and donations, we were able to feed a total of 4,000 families in North Bethesda, Gaithersburg, and neighboring communities.

 

None of this would have been possible without the support of each and every one of you. From our donors to our partners to our volunteers and our sponsors, our So What Else community is what enables us to move mountains for the families we serve. Thanksgiving may be over, but the winter holidays are right around the corner. We will need your help once again to continue supporting families moving into December. Get involved in our Holiday Hearts of Gratitude movement by going to https://sowhatelse.salsalabs.org/2023holidayheartsofgratitude. Thank you, and happy holidays!

If you are interested in volunteering with us:

All SWE volunteer opportunities are listed here & signing up is easy! Create your profile and browse opportunities that fit your interests and availability. Please be sure to register for each instance of a volunteer opportunity you wish to serve. For example, if you want to help out at the Saturday Outdoor Food Pantry, be sure to sign up each time (instance) you want to serve. Please note that sign-ups will be deactivated 24 hours before the start of an opportunity. For last-minute sign ups, please send an email to volunteer@sowhatelse.org.

If you are interested in Group / Team / Organization volunteering, please contact us at volunteer@sowhatelse.org!

If you’re interested in volunteering at one of our after-school or summer camp programs, please send an email to vfuentes@sowhatelse.org.

We hope to see you soon!

On Saturday, July 22nd, we unveiled our newly relocated Montgomery County Pantry and Thrift Store and were humbled by the outpouring of support we received. Sponsors, dignitaries, and supporters from all over the state joined us in ushering in this newest chapter of the So What Else story and sharing our mission with the world. Notable speakers included representatives from the offices of Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, State Delegate Julie Palakovich Carr, Councilmembers Gabe Albornoz, Laurie-Anne Sayles, and Will Jawando, and Patrick M. Campbell of Montgomery County DHHS. Catering was provided by Mamma Lucia and Sardi’s Restaurants, and coffee was provided by the incredible volunteer team from the Plaza del Mercado Starbucks.

     

We began the day by tying our festivities to the essence of why we do this work: our clients. Highlighting our Saturday outdoor food distribution, attendees were able to witness firsthand the magnanimity of the food crisis in our community and the thousands of pounds of food we recover in order to end it.

     

We then gave a tour of the new facility, one of the largest food distribution centers in the State of Maryland, while highlighting the importance of our other efforts to recover items such as clothing, books, diapers, and more.

But the real showstopper was the unveiling of our Brick in the Wall mural, showcasing the many sponsors that donated to help us reach this momentous day. With their support, we were able to find a home where we could not only continue to feed Montgomery County but expand and grow to feed more communities and more counties than ever before. It was only fitting that they have a permanent presence in our home, and we were honored to make them the focal point of the day’s festivities.

The day concluded with speeches, remarks, and a ribbon-cutting ceremony we’ll never forget. While this marks the conclusion of our search to find a new home, our story in North Bethesda is only just beginning, and the need for resources is only growing. Day by day, week by week, the number of clients we serve grows higher, and the need for financial support becomes more pertinent. But it’s not too late to etch your name into this era of So What Else and help us meet this challenge head-on. If you would like to be a part of our ever-growing movement to join us as we continue to write history, click here to donate a brick to our wall. Thank you.