Our Programs

AFGHAN REFUGEE PROJECT

. Background Since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in August 2021, the U.S has evacuated more than 75,000 Afghans. Jumping from one military base to another, more than 50,000 refugees have been placed into local communities across the U.S. According to the Washington Post, scores of Afghan evacuees in the Washington Metro area have been waiting inside cramped hotel rooms as overwhelmed resettlement groups struggle to find affordable permanent homes. Often, there is only one room dedicated to entire families. The sleeping arrangements are abysmal as parents sleep on the floor while their children share one bed. The lack of available and affordable housing for the evacuees is particularly urgent in Maryland, and may soon grow worse as federal officials plan to send more evacuees to the area. In addition to housing, clothing, and other essentials, these families are in need of nutritious and culturally specific food. This is where UP 2 US comes in…

Up 2 Us is providing Afghan refugee families with a regular supply of halal meat and Afghan bread (naan) while they are in temporary housing. A culturally responsive food strategy will help to improve the quality of life for these families. Specifically, the Foundation works to provide the necessary food items to create authentic Afghani food, so that these families may find some familiar comfort in an otherwise unfamiliar, stressful, and challenging time.

groceries supporting educational success program

The Groceries Supporting Educational Success Program is Up 2 Us Foundation's 1st initiative dedicated to serving children in food insecure households in Montgomery County, Maryland.

Every week one student from each household receives a weekend food bag that can be shared by the whole family.

In June 2021, we expanded GSES through a partnership with Achieving Collegiate Excellence and Success (ACES), a Montgomery County nonprofit that supports high school students who may be first-generation Americans, immigrants, from a low-income family, or have differing abilities that have limited their ability to pursue a bachelor’s degree. Through ACES, we now serve 70 families with children attending Northwood, Montgomery Blair (Silver Spring), Wheaton, John F. Kennedy (Wheaton), Albert Einstein (Silver Spring), and Rockville High Schools.

Also in June, Up 2 Us modified the GSES services model. Instead of providing relatively small weekend food bags to families with school-aged children, we began providing fresh produce and up to 25 pounds of groceries to families with students participating in ACES. GSES families now come to our Wheaton Mall center to pick up their groceries. This direct interaction between Up 2 Us staff and volunteers and clients has allowed us to develop more personal relationships with those we serve and to tailor our assistance to them. Clients also have access to our center’s other resources, such as free books, coats, holiday decorations during the holiday season, school supplies, and SNAP registration assistance.

Groceries 2 Go! (drive-thru distribution)

In June 2020 Up 2 Us distributed 500 boxes of free produce every week to families in need through a grab & go drive-up grocery box pick up called “Groceries 2 Go!”.

The fresh produce was provided through a USDA program called, “Farmers to Families.”

Up 2 Us Foundation hosted 4 distributions. Three distributions took place at Montgomery College, Rockville campus and one took place at Highland Elementary School.

The produce boxes contain 20-30 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Future dates for this event will be announced soon.

This event is in partnership with the Montgomery County Food Security Task Force, Montgomery College, Montgomery County Commission for Women, Montgomery County Public Schools, and Councilmember Evan Glass.

GROCERIES 2 GO! (food pickup program)

Our center, opened November 2020, allowed us to expand and adapt our Groceries 2 Go drive-thru program to allow a safe place for families to pickup groceries. Located in the heart of Montgomery County inside of Westfield Wheaton Mall, our center and food pantry is reachable to all Montgomery County residents as it is easily accessible by bus and Metro rail.

The Up 2 Us Foundation Center has helped our organization safely store more food (perishable and nonperishable) that can be distributed to more individuals and families more efficiently.

Individuals and families who are registered for G2G can pickup groceries from our center two times a month on the 1st and 3rd Saturday.

G2G grocery packages vary distribution to distribution and consist of nutritious foods such as, fresh fruits and vegetables, milk, pasta, rice, dry beans, oatmeal, cooking oil, cereal, and meats such as chicken and turkey when available.

Our food is sourced through our partners at Capital Area Food Bank, Montgomery County Government’s fresh produce program, volunteer food drives, and purchases from local businesses of specific culturally appropriate food items as needed. In the coming year, our hope is to purchase fresh produce from local farmers to support small minority businesses in our region.

Stay at Home Bag Program

In March 2020 our organization pivoted and added a new program designed to adapt to the pressing needs of our community during the global pandemic. Through our innovation and creative approach to serving food insecure families, Up 2 Us immediately created a new food program called, "Stay At Home Bag Program".

The Stay At Home Bag Program began as a delivery service to food insecure families who were homebound during the 2020 lockdown.

Through our partnership with Capital Area Food Bank and individual donations our organization was able to purchase food and pack 15–25-pound grocery boxes or bags that were delivered directly to the doorsteps of 81 unduplicated families living in Montgomery County for 32 weeks.

The families we served were homebound for various reasons including, but not limited to, no access to transportation, chronic illness, COVID positive, elderly, disability, or at higher risk of being infected with COVID-19.

Our story

Up 2 Us Foundation’s origins reflect the shared responsibility of community and the power of a society that serves and supports each other. This is reflected in the logo that is the West African symbol for support, cooperation and encouragement.

Our logo reflects the proverb “Woforo dua pa a” - “when you climb a good tree”, from the expression “Woforo dua pa a, na yepia wo” meaning “When you climb a good tree, you are given a push”. In other words, it tells us that when we work for a good cause, we will get support.

Up 2 Us Foundation's logo is part of a category of symbols called Adinkra. These visual symbols encapsulate evocative messages conveying traditional wisdom, philosophical thoughts, ideas or aspects of life or the environment.

Since it's start in 2019, Up 2 Us Foundation, a Maryland 501(c)(3), has been striving to improve the quality of life by providing nutritious and culturally relevant food for our neighbors in need. The Foundation was co-founded by an Asian American mother-daughter duo.