SO OTHERS MIGHT EAT

Washington, D.C.

Jabari Sanders is a 17-year-old volunteer at SOME (So Others Might Eat), an interfaith nonprofit whose mission is to “help the poor and homeless of our nation’s capital.”

Originally started in 1970 to offer hot nutritional meals to the needy, SOME soon expanded its services to help care for the low-income elderly and those suffering from substance abuse. It has since built a medical clinic and affordable housing for the needy and also provides job training.

Despite only starting a year and a half ago, Jabari has quickly become a frequent volunteer who has participated on multiple projects, including working on a Christmas clothing drive in which he and others gave out health-care items and clothing to more than 4,000 homeless people in Washington, D.C.
Originally encouraged by his mom to join, Jabari has found a supportive, inspiring environment at SOME.

How has volunteering with SOME benefited you?

I have become more open to new things, you know, more respectful to everybody. Sharing with others who don’t have what you have, you never take for granted what you have.

What have been some of the challenges at SOME?

There’s so many people coming in to eat and we just need more and more food. As time goes by, food gets less and less and we have to get more donations.

Do you think youth need to pay more attention to the economically disadvantaged?

I think we can have a lot more kids come out and help out because some people just come volunteer and then they never come back. People have to realize that the homeless people need our help. It just can’t be a few of us out there helping. We need lots of people. It would be a good experience for everybody. It helps your character, and you’re helping someone else out who’s in need.

http://www.some.org/

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