Love Through Service: A Place for Everyone

There’s something powerful about having a place where you know your presence matters. 

Each month, So What Else welcomes students, corporate groups, and adults with disabilities from organizations throughout our community to spend time volunteering alongside our team. They come ready to work, connect with others, and play an incredibly important role in serving communities across the DMV. 

At So What Else, our mission goes beyond providing food; it’s about building connections. Staying connected with our schools, neighborhoods, and communities through service is at the heart of what we do. None of which would be possible without So What Else volunteers who generously dedicate their time to supporting our mission.

For many of the groups that visit us, volunteering at So What Else isn’t a one-time experience. Participants return regularly, becoming familiar with our staff, our space, and the work that needs to be done. Over time, these visits become something more than a volunteer shift: They create connection, long-term meaning, and a sense of belonging. 

So What Else is a place where people of all abilities have meaningful opportunities to participate in their community. 

Adults with disabilities can face barriers to finding consistent opportunities for community involvement. Through partnerships with local organizations, we are able to provide a welcoming environment where participants can contribute in ways that are impactful.

One of our groups, Community Options Inc., a non-profit organization providing housing and employment to individuals with disabilities, shared how their partnership with So What Else has impacted their members saying So What Else has “consistently provided exceptional volunteer opportunities that allow [their] participants to develop valuable skills while giving back to their community.”

And their contributions make a real difference.

They also described how working together has given their participants confidence and purpose while simultaneously serving and strengthening their community. 

During their time volunteering with us, Community Options volunteers take on many of the same essential tasks that keep our distributions going. Every pallet moved, bag packed, and cart packaged helps our team prepare food and essential resources for the clients we serve. During busy weeks, having groups like Community Options willing to lend their time to help us accomplish our mission makes the process that much easier. 

This is Love through Service. 

Partnerships like the one we share with groups like Community Options show us what can happen when volunteer opportunities are built to last. A single shift can turn into a monthly routine, a monthly routine can turn into a lasting relationship, and those relationships can develop into greatest involvement in the community. 

Building a stronger community is about making sure everyone has the opportunity to be a part of something bigger than themselves. 

This November, we invite you to celebrate and help grow that spirit of care at the 16th Annual So What Else Love One Another Gala on November 6. The Gala brings our community together for an evening of connection, celebration, and support for programs like volunteering where people throughout the DMV can come together and create a difference for the community.