On November 16, the Capital Youth Outreach Club (CYOC) held the 2025 Fall Donation Drive at Thomas S. Wootton High School. The drive collected items from community members, including clothing, shoes, toys, household items, furniture, school supplies, art materials, and laptops. These donations will support underserved families and students in the DMV area.
The CYOC 2025 Fall Donation Drive was a great success! This was the second time Ruichen and I hosted the event. We organized our first donation drive in the summer of 2025, and this time Kevin also joined us as part of the organizing team. Even though we already had experience, we still learned a lot and worked even better together.
By Ruichen Feng (CYOC Reporting Team) | Photography: CYOC Volunteers
Rockville, MD, November 2, 2025 — As the U.S. federal government shutdown extends beyond one month, many federal employees in the Washington metropolitan area are struggling to make ends meet. With two consecutive missed paychecks and rising living costs, families across the DMV region are facing growing financial hardship, including concerns about putting food on the table.
On Sunday, November 2, I had the privilege of participating in a Special Food Distribution Day organized by So What Else as part of their Federal Worker Relief Program. The event took place at the Food Rescue Bank, located at 4924 Wyaconda Rd, North Bethesda, MD, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The goal of this initiative was to support federal employees and contractors affected by the government shutdown by providing them with fresh food, essential supplies, and hot meals prepared with care and love.
When I volunteered at the charity marathon, I thought it would just be another early morning event. I didn’t expect it to be such a fun and inspiring experience. I signed up to help out and earn some service hours, but I ended up learning how powerful teamwork, encouragement, and kindness can be. From setting up the inflatables and helping kids, I learned that helping others can be just as rewarding as running the race itself.
A charity marathon is more than a race; it’s a movement of compassion and unity. Each stride represents care, perseverance, and a desire to make the world better. Participants run not just for themselves, but for those who can’t. Behind the scenes, there are always people working hard to make the event possible. As a member of the CYOC, I volunteered to help set up at the charity marathon on October 4. It was an amazing experience filled with energy, teamwork, and joy. The event took place early in the morning, and volunteers like me helped set up water stations, hand out food, and organize activities for children. It felt wonderful to be part of something that brought people together for such a meaningful cause.
On October 4, 2025, I had an amazing opportunity to volunteer at the 4th Annual MoCo CARES Charity Race, an inspiring community event hosted by So What Else and Covenant Life School. The race brings together local families, businesses, and volunteers to support children and families in need across Montgomery County.
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