So What Else (SWE) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children and families in underserved communities across Maryland and Washington, DC. Our work centers around two core programs — the So What Else Food Rescue Bank and Youth Development Programming — each rooted in a strong spirit of humanitarianism, focused on giving back and involving community voice to meet the most pressing needs of the families we serve. Together, we work to form a holistic service model focused on meeting immediate needs while also investing in long-term community well-being.
The So What Else Food Rescue Bank aims to increase access to healthy, nutritious food for low-income households by rescuing surplus food from wholesalers and retailers and redistributing it directly to families facing food insecurity. This food, perfectly safe and consumable, is food that would otherwise be wasted. Currently, this program reaches approximately 420,000 individuals annually through our flexible, diverse and highly accessible food distribution programs. In 2025 alone, SWE diverted almost 16 millions of pounds of food from landfills and delivered over 13 million meal equivalents to those in need, turning food waste into nourishment for food insecure communities and averaging 1.25 million pounds of food rescued each month.
Our Youth Development Programming serves approximately 3,000 students each year through afterschool programs, summer camps, teen mentorship, and civic engagement programs. These programs are offered directly in the communities we serve to provide mentorship along with safe and enriching spaces during critical out-of-school hours and are designed to promote academic success, personal development, physical health, and community engagement.
Our volunteer force collectively contributed over 30,000 hours of service last year. Volunteers of all ages engage in meaningful projects such as building community gardens, painting community centers, distributing food, and more. These projects cultivate a culture of service and foster cross-generational community resilience.
