Southwest Emergency Services

10/23/2026

Thank you, Arbutus Volunteer Fire Department! 🚒 What a night! Thank you for collecting food for SWES at your food truck night. Kim Winkel swung by with a giant bag of dry goods, and it means so much for our neighbors.

A special shout out to Bone Appetit Biscuits, who gave customers $1 off their dog biscuits for donating a can. 🐶 Please show them some love.

We're proud to call AVFD our partner. Many thanks & blessings!

09/30/2026

Our pantry needs you! Demand is growing fast, and we're already two weeks ahead of our usual food distribution.

🥫 Drop off food Mon, Wed & Fri, 9:00 – 11:30 am at 1201 Maple Ave, behind AUMC Church (back of the parking lot, enter off Shelbourne Rd). Most needed: canned fish and meat, cereal, pasta and sauce, peanut butter, jelly.

💛 Can't make it over? $50 buys many meals. Donate online through our website, sweshelps.org, or our donations page at givebutter.com/SWES . All donations are tax deductible.

Need help coordinating your donation? Email [email protected] or call 410-247-8154.

Please share this post so more neighbors can help. Many thanks & blessings!

09/21/2026

Seen this around town? Our new flier is going up on bulletin boards, in shop windows, wherever neighbors will spot it.

If you found us that way: welcome, and thanks for following along. No one requesting food on a one-time basis is turned away, whatever their address - and here's how you can help keep the pantry stocked:

🕘 Give a morning. Sorting, stocking, carrying bags out to cars - a few hours on a Monday, Wednesday or Friday makes the whole thing work.

🥫 Bring what you can. Drop food and personal care items at the door during pantry hours.

💛 Give online. https://sweshelps.org takes about a minute.

Share our post! Help us reach people who might not have heard from us yet.

08/31/2026

Check out our wonderful new pantry area! Our volunteers have been working hard to rearrange our space to look nicer and be much more accommodating to our visitors. Whether you want to donate some food, visit us for assistance, or just to say hi - stop by and see us during our open hours Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9:00 AM - 11:30 AM. 🙂💚💛

08/27/2026

Generous bags of donations from the guests at the Arbutus Volunteer Fire Department's Wednesday Food Truck Fest! Kim Winkel Thanks to our great firemen and our community - every bag helps a neighbor eat this week. 💙

07/31/2026

We had a busy day today and our canned goods shelf is nearly bare.

Two of us are heading to the Maryland Food Bank Monday morning, but we won't be back with cans until 11am - so if you're able to drop off canned goods Monday at 9am, you'd be filling a real gap.

Most needed: beans, vegetables, fruit, soups, spaghetti sauce, tuna.

We're in good shape on other items - but will always accept other donations. 1201 Maple Ave, Arbutus. Thank you, neighbors. 🥫

07/30/2026

🏋️ LIFT TO FEED - our pantry is moving, and we need strong backs and willing hands.

SWES is relocating our food pantry to the new side of our building, and we can't do it without volunteers. Whether you're up for heavy lifting or you'd rather clean and organize, there's a job for you.

📅 Saturday, Aug 22 · Saturday, Aug 29 · Sunday, Aug 30 🕘 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM (come for any part of a shift) 📍 1201 Maple Ave, Arbutus, MD 21227 — behind AUMC, back of the lot, enter off Shelbourne Ave. ✅ Must be 18+ and able to lift. Dress for dust! ☕ Coffee, doughnuts, and lunch provided.

RSVP to [email protected] or (410) 247-8154 so we know how much lunch to get.

Please share this post - someone you know has been looking for a way to help.

07/29/2026

Help us spread the word! Southwest Emergency Services is now on Instagram - give us a follow and share to help us reach more neighbors in 21227: https://www.instagram.com/p/DbY3kZJFrCs/

05/30/2026

🚨 𝐕𝐎𝐋𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐍𝐄𝐄𝐃𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐑! 🚨⁣
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SWES (Southwest Emergency Services) is looking for friendly, reliable volunteers to help out in our food pantry this summer!⁣
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Come work alongside our legendary, long-term volunteer crew and make a direct impact right here in Arbutus.⁣
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𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬:⁣
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• 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭: Stocking shelves/freezers, sorting produce, and loading grocery carts for neighbors in need (requires some lifting!).⁣
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• 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧: Mon, Wed, or Fri from 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM (minimum 1 shift/week).⁣
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• 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞: 1201 Maple Ave, Arbutus.⁣
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If you’re ready to show up, make a difference, and meet some great people, we want to hear from you!⁣
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➡️ 𝐓𝐨 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲, 𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐭: [email protected]⁣
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Thank you for your support! 🤝✨

05/26/2026

Check out the latest profile of SWES in UMBC Magazine!

The Southwest Emergency Services (SWES) has been in close proximity to UMBC for decades, it’s relatively new that an intentional cohort of Retrievers regularly volunteers there.