Before Columbia Community Care’s food pantry opens each morning, David Carothers might already be filming a “Behind the Bite” reel for Instagram, showing off the types of food that CCC keeps in stock. Meanwhile, Zakariya Jaweed is likely walking the aisles of a grocery store, purchasing items that need to fill the shelves.
Both found their way to CCC through the Maryland Corp Program, which places young adults with organizations across the state in fields like hunger relief, climate action, education, and public health, offering $15/hour compensation plus a $6,000 completion award.
David discovered the Maryland Corps Program through a friend. He had just finished his first year of college and was looking to gain some real work experience, ideally with something related to marketing. Zakariya has been applying for jobs until a statewide Maryland Corps meetup at the University of Maryland put him in front of CCC’s April Lee and Erika Chavarria.
A Typical Day at CCC
“Day to day, I’d check inventory — see what needed to be restocked, what was low — and text the list to Miss April Lee,” said Zarariya. Tuesdays and Thursdays meant Costco runs, and from there a trip to Aldi and Trader Joe’s to round out the week’s supply.
David was focused on community outreach – tabling events, spreading the word about CCC’s mission, and building out the organization’s social presence. He says he gained confidence working at public events and also sharpened his social media skills. “I got better at making reels and shorts to get more new people involved and bring more attention to CCC,” he said.
Lessons Beyond Service
For Zakariya, the biggest lesson was about his own community. “I didn’t know food insecurity affected Howard County until I joined CCC and saw how much people actually needed the resources,” he said. He said witnessing the hard work of April and Erika, and the community members who showed up to sort donations or shop for neighbors, was inspiring. “It was a nice experience to be part of something that beautiful.”
David describes himself as someone who was never much of a talker in school, but he says his work at CCC pushed him out of that shell. “I learned to talk to people and form connections — new volunteers, new faces, the regulars,” he says. He also learned to lean on the people around him instead of trying to solve everything alone. “Whenever I needed help, I’d just ask April or Erika. Learning to depend on others’ advice is something I picked up here.”
Watching Erika manage the organization left a deeper impression than David expected. “Being around Erika, I saw how much actually goes into running a business,” he says. “It showed me that if I really want to get into something, it’s going to take a tremendous amount of effort. And it’s the people around you who push you forward. Erika surrounds herself with people who motivate her — so you have to choose your people wisely.”
Looking Forward
Zakariya wrapped up his service year in June and spent the summer teaching kids in a summer camp at his local mosque. Longer term, he’s weighing a path into counseling or clinical practice, building on his psychology degree — though he’s in no hurry to commit. “I’m still figuring it out, but I’m not against grad school,” he says. “I don’t want to jump into something and end up dreading it.”
David is looking into apprenticeship opportunities, but a conversation with staff member April about her background as a private chef sparked a real interest in culinary work. “I’ve always had a passion for cooking, whether it’s just for fun or helping around the kitchen,” he says. “Seeing people enjoy something I made, I like that.”
Whatever comes next, both men are walking away with a firsthand understanding of what it takes to show up for a community, and the confidence that comes from having done it.
