Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Food Appointments Drive-Ups

Saturday Drive-Ups:

• What is a drive-up food pantry?

• • • Answer: A drive-up food pantry is a service where individuals can receive free food without leaving their vehicle. You simply drive to the location, and our volunteers will provide you with a food package.

• Who can use the drive-up food pantry?

• • • Answer: The pantry is open to anyone in need of food assistance, regardless of income, background, or residence. We welcome all individuals and families.
    • NOTE: you must be at least 18 years old to receive food assistance from us.

• How do I book an appointment to drive-up to receive free food?

  • • Answer: We would love to provide you with food for yourself and/or your family. Please follow the steps below to sign-up for an appointment:
      • Step 1: Go to our Booking Page to make an appointment by clicking here.
      • Step 2:

• What if I don’t have a car?

• • • When you are selecting your appointment you can click the appointment that says “Walk-Ups ONLY” to book a Walk-up appointment.
    • You MUST book an appointment for walk-ups- otherwise you will NOT receive any food from us. 
    • Please do not make the mistake of coming without an appointment. We know clients come from far places and we value your time so please make an appointment. 
    • Walk-ups must make an appointment for every adult who wishes to receive food. 

• How old can I be to receive food assistance?

• • • To receive food from us you must be at least 18 years of age and yes we require proof of Identification from now on to be able to continue to provide our services for you. 
    • For security reasons we cannot offer food assistance to children under the age of 18.

• Do you offer food appointments on other days?

• • • Yes! We do, and we encourage you to book an appointment with us Monday-Friday to have a smoother and faster experience.
    • Saturdays are generally longer wait-times and tend to book up faster than week days. We highly recommend you book a weekday appointment to help us provide a more quality experience for you!

• • • Book a Weekday appointment here!

• Do I need to bring anything?

• • • Answer: To improve our service we ask that you present 1 form of Identification with your full name and birthdate such as: a driver’s license, passport (foreign passports work), foreign ID, State ID, ID issued by a local city or nonprofit agency, and/or birth certificate. It’s helpful if you can provide the number of people in your household for our records.

• What types of food do you provide?

• • • Answer: We offer a variety of non-perishable items, fresh produce, dairy, and sometimes meat. The exact items may vary based on donations and availability.

• How often can I visit the pantry?

• • • Answer: You can visit the pantry NO MORE than once a week to receive food assistance. And you MUST make an appointment- otherwise you will not receive food. And you must arrive no earlier or later than 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment to prevent traffic. If you arrive too early we ask that you park on a side street and not block the main road.
    • We ask that you abide by our new rules to help us provide the best service for you and your family, we want to continue staying open.

• • • Not following our rules could lead us to shut-down our operations completely. 

• How many appointments can I make?

• • • If you are driving a vehicle or in a vehicle driving to the pantry at least one adult needs to make an appointment.
    • When you book an appointment it will ask you to state, “ How many adults are in your vehicle today who will be receiving food?”, each adult will get a portion of food but only one appointment per car is necessary. 
    • You can only make ONE appointment every week. Multiple appointments by the same person each week will result in you getting your appointments CANCELLED so please do NOT make that mistake. We want to be able to serve as many people as possible who follow our rules.
    • If you have friends who need food and cannot come in-person to get food please contact us about our home delivery service to connect your friend to that program. We have a waitlist but we can add them there.
    • Contact: mocohungerrelief@sowhatelse.org

• Can I make an appointment for a friend/family member

• • • Yes, as long as you input all their correct information in the booking page. Don’t forget to also book a separate appointment for yourself (if you are above the age of 18) if you will also be receiving food from us. 

• Can I book for the same time each week in advance?

• • • No, you’ll have to make an appointment every week to encourage equal access to our resources for everyone. 
    • You will only be allowed up to 7 days in advance to book for the following week. 

• What are the operating hours?

• • • Answer: The Saturday pantry operates on Saturdays: 7am-1pm. Please check our website or check our social media for changes to the schedule.
      • https://www.instagram.com/sowhatelsehelps/
      • https://www.facebook.com/SoWhatElseHelps/
      • https://x.com/SWEHelps 

• Do I need to speak English to use the pantry?

• • • Answer: No! Our volunteers speak multiple languages and are happy to assist you in the language you feel most comfortable with. Please let us know if you need help communicating.

• What is the process for driving up to the pantry?

• • • When you drive to our location at 4924 Wyaconda Rd please look for signs that indicate which way to drive in.
    • When you arrive at your scheduled time you will see a volunteer wearing a neon vest who will give you a paper with a unique code to enter our facility- they will place it under your windshield wiper. The code changes every day and gives you one time access to our drive-up. 

• • • Please note that you will not be permitted to arrive 15 minutes before or after your appointment time. If you do arrive earlier please park in a side street AWAY from the main road. Police patrol the areas and we do not want to be shut down because of vehicles that are blocking the street. 

• Is there a cost for the food?

• • • Answer: No, all food provided at the drive-up pantry is free of charge. You have an option to offer any donation to help cover our gas expenses but it’s completely up to you!

• How do I find the location of the pantry?

• • • Answer: Our pantry is located at 4924 Wyaconda Rd North Bethesda, MD  20852. 
    • www.sowhatelse.org 

• What safety measures are in place?

• • • Answer: We follow all recommended safety protocols, including sanitation practices. Please remain in your vehicle until it’s your turn to receive food.

• Can I volunteer at the pantry?

• • • Answer: Absolutely! We welcome volunteers of all backgrounds. Please visit our volunteer sign-up page here. 
    • For more information please email us: volunteer@sowhatelse.org

• How can I support the pantry?

• • • Answer: You can support us by donating food, volunteering your time, or making a financial contribution. Visit our Get Involved page for more information here. Or Donate here. 
    • If you have any other questions related to scheduling volunteer groups, in-kind donation such a food or items you can contact us here: info@sowhatelse.org

• What other resources are there for me if I was unable to secure an appointment for this week?

• • • We recommend you look at the MOCO Food Council Map for a list of food pantries in Montgomery County here. 
    • Check out our resources page for other community resources that may be of help to you. We want to help as many people as possible and also provide a quality experience that complies with City regulations. 
    • We appreciate your patience with us as we switch to a more organized system that will ultimately be better for our staff, volunteers, and most importantly you!

• Contact Information

• For further questions, please reach out to us at:

• • Phone: (202) 573-7787
  • Email: mocohungerrelief@sowhatelse.org
  • Website: www.sowhatelse.org