This content is sponsored by Kaiser Permanente.
Known for years as So Others Might Eat, the non-profit has served on the frontlines of fighting poverty and homelessness in the nation’s capital since 1970.
It serves 800 meals daily, every day of the year.
And, like millions of Americans these days, SOME is fighting inflation.
That’s one of the biggest challenges confronting Troy Swanda, who became CEO earlier this year after a quarter-century with the organization.
“Yeah, absolutely,” said Swanda during an interview for the Leadership in Action series.
“The higher food prices have a big impact,” he said. “We’re very fortunate to have such generous donors of the organization and people that help us provide those meals, but certainly there’s a budget impact. Every time that food costs increase, it means, you know, potentially doing something else less.”
Swanda has regular team meetings, often breaks bread with colleagues and hosts town hall meetings on video so everyone feels seen and heard.
There’s also the annual chili cook-off, a popular way for his team to bond and have fun.
“We’re fortunate to have such a great mission,” he said. “We’re lucky in the D.C. market to have such a talented workforce. You know, it’s highly educated. There are people that come to this area to try to make a difference, and we’re able to tap into that employee base. But I think people come for the mission, and then I think once they see how valuable their efforts are for the work that we’re doing. That’s why they stay.”
With more than 300 employees, the organization also offers mental health programs, substance abuse programs and housing.
At the core of running a successful organization and keeping a team happy? Training.
“We’ve really done well over the years, and I think it’s one of the keys to success,” Swanda said. “We have again the ability to grow there, but we invest in trainings and making sure that people have their continuing education.”
Going forward, Swanda is already busy planning for 2027 and the next half-decade. Even if prices go up 2 percent, he said, that’s a big jump for his organization.
“There’s a lot of uncertainty looking ahead that far,” he said. “But I think the one thing that we know, it’s unlikely that things are going to go down.”
