Community Service – Page 6 – 华府青年 CYOC

Special Food Distribution Day for Furloughed Federal Workers

By: George Wang

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.

Behind the Finish Line: My Marathon Volunteer Experience

By: Diana H. Zhao

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.

Fueled by Spirit, Not Speed

By Camille Hu

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.

MoCo CARES Charity Race – Volunteer Reflection Report

By: George Wang

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.

记参加 SWE 志愿服务

By: Grace Yan

So What Else (SWE) 是一家 501(c)(3) 非营利组织，致力于为巴尔的摩-华盛顿地区的弱势群体提供食品救助、家庭物资和青少年项目。通过阅读、体育和艺术等课外活动，SWE 不仅改善了儿童和家庭的生活，也鼓励更多青少年参与志愿服务，带动社区形成良性循环。

Love, Action, and Hope: CYOC Joins SWE Charity Appreciation Event, Witnessing the Power of Collaboration

By Ruichen Feng (CYOC)

On the evening of September 10, 2025, the nonprofit organization So What Else (SWE) held its first-ever “Partner & Sponsor Appreciation Event” at Silo Falls in Brookeville, MD. Representatives from 25 nonprofit and philanthropic partner organizations, along with nearly 85 volunteers and supporters, gathered to celebrate past achievements, share experiences, and envision future community initiatives. The Capital Youth Outreach Club (CYOC) attended as one of SWE’s 25 partner organizations.

A Journey Through the Chinese Culture Festival

By: Diana H. Zhao

This year, I had the opportunity to volunteer at the Chinese Culture Festival in Washington, DC. It was an unforgettable experience that not only helped me learn more about my culture and tradition, but it also helped me connect with other people.

CYOC Showcases Heritage at the Washington Chinese Culture Festival

By: Peishi Yu

On August 30, 2025, the Capital Youth Outreach Club (CYOC) attended the annual Washington Chinese Culture Festival in Washington D.C. The festival took place on Pennsylvania Avenue between 3rd and 4th Street, and was home to many Chinese cultural events. When walking through the grounds, you could spot all kinds of activities in full swing – whether that’s live speeches and performances, people admiring art, talking with their friends, or just enjoying some good food.

8.25中国文化节义工

By: Neil Lee

Last Saturday me and my brother had an unforgettable experience at the 2025 Washington Cultural festival. During the festival we volunteered at a tent that was doing facepainting. At the facepainting station we learned how to do facepainting and how to put on temporary tattoos. During the day, we helped paint images and put temporary tattoos on people’s faces for free. It was my first time using temporary tattoos and face paints, it was very interesting to me. At first, it was difficult for the team to apply face painting as we couldn’t get the consistency of the ink to be just right so that it will leave a mark and won’t flow to places where it shouldn’t go to, but after a bit of practice we figured out how to get the ink to stay in the pattern that we wanted. On the other hand I liked how simple it was to apply the temporary tattoos, the particular reason for this is because that to put on the temporary tattoo you just have to peel of a thin plastic layer and then put the image onto your hand / head, and you then wait ten seconds and lift of the paper and the image would be stuck to your hand.

Hands at Work, Hearts Connected

By: Camille Hu

Diversity and cultural exchange are one of the most important parts of a country, a society, a community. At the annual Chinese Cultural Festival at D.C., different people from different background, culture, area, came together, shared their culture and embraced other’s culture. Volunteering at the Chinese Cultural Festival in Washington, DC was more than simply lending a hand; it was an opportunity to step into a living expression of culture, community, and connection.