So What Else (SWE) is a 501c(3) organization that strengthens the Baltimore-Washington Metro area by providing hunger relief services and innovative youth programming and service-learning enrichment.
Thousands of children are left alone, unsupervised and without access to healthy food during out-of-school time hours. COVID-19 amplified this problem, putting many children and families from low-income communities at risk for experiencing hunger and food insecurity. To address these problems, SWE provides a tripod of services to children and families from low-income households.
Emergency Hunger Relief. SWE is one of the largest hunger relief agencies in the Greater Washington Area with the most “open walk-up hours’ of any pantry in MD. SWE is also the largest provider of free basic necessities, including diapers, clothing, and school supplies. Our food rescue bank rescues and distributes 300,000 pounds of food and thousands of basic necessities to 24,000 individuals per week through over 150 sites. We are creating food security by redirecting 45 million pounds of rescued food from entering landfills, into the hands of food insecure populations.
Youth Development. SWE’s 102 in-person after school programs and summer camps provide students safety, food security, and positive mentorship for students out-of-school time. Our diverse curriculum fosters academic achievement, inspires community engagement, teaches teamwork and empathy, nurtures a healthy lifestyle, engenders a sense of well-being and self-efficacy, and promotes environmental stewardship. Our programs serve 3,150 children per year across 55 need-based communities.
Volunteer Opportunities. SWE is a service-based organization, that models and inspires community service in others. SWE is a conduit for individuals to ‘pay it forward’ in their own communities. SWE hosts 30,000 volunteer hours per year for volunteers of all ages to serve in the community.
