In 2017, Esisonia Sotoglo’s world changed dramatically. Her younger brother, once loving and easy-going, began displaying aggressive and erratic behavior at 19, just after finishing high school. The shift was sudden and jarring for Esisonia and her close-knit West African Togolese family. Their family, loving and supportive, had always been there for each other, with Esisonia recalling her mother’s consistent home-cooked meals and love for her four children. But mental health was not a topic of discussion in their culture, and her family struggled to understand her brother’s behavior.
The situation escalated when her brother was arrested in 2018 and diagnosed with bipolar schizophrenia. Though prescribed medication, his paranoia kept him from accepting treatment. He was barred from returning home due to the rules of their rental community and ultimately ended up homeless. Despite this, Esisonia and her family did everything they could to help. They brought him home-cooked meals, clothing, and kept in contact by paying for a cell phone.
She noticed that many of those around him in the encampments did not have the same support and were even more isolated. They were desperate for food and clothing, basic necessities that Esisonia’s family provided for her brother, and some individuals resorted to stealing what little he had. Faced with this sobering reality, her family decided, not to scale back, but to do more. They began supporting others in the encampments, offering food, clothing, and essential supplies to those who were even more vulnerable.
Through this experience, they also began to understand why so many chose not to live in shelters. After hearing firsthand accounts of dehumanizing conditions, she says “we realized the shelter system sometimes made things worse, not better.” Esisonia’s brother, having been mistreated in shelters himself, felt safer on the streets. She, seeing the pain her brother and family went through, took her experience and turned it into her mission, and began working full-time in local emergency rehousing.
Esisonia explained, she understands that unless you are forced to face people experiencing homelessness head on like she had to, it is easy to look away- but once you see what is happening you can’t unsee it. She says about many of the community’s shelters “it’s not housing, it’s mass herding for those in the community who are made to be invisible… So many [shelters] are overcrowded, lack privacy, and expose individuals like my brother to further trauma.” She explains that it is unlikely for anyone to live there to turn course, that for too many, it exposes them to more trauma and leads them down even more tragic paths “in many ways, prisons offer more support and more privacy.”
It was this realization that led to the founding of the CORE Foundation, an organization focused on acknowledging and supporting the unsheltered community and students in need. “I never expected to make this my mission, but now I can’t look away,” she says. The foundation’s name reflects the core of Esisonia’s message: everybody is somebody’s brother.
The foundation’s work begins where traditional systems fail. She regularly visits local encampments, offering food, clothing, and showers. She’s partnered with BlackRock Center for the Arts in Germantown to offer free showers every Monday. Though attendance started slow, with just one person at first, it has slowly grown. “I’ll be there whether it’s one person or a hundred,” she says.
CORE’s focus is not just about providing a place to shower—it’s about offering a comprehensive support system, including hygiene items and food. Many resources, Esisonia notes, are designed for the “poor,” but they fail to meet the unique needs of people struggling with homelessness, mental health issues, or substance abuse. Through CORE, she aims to bridge that gap by offering practical and accommodating resources to those who need it most. The CORE Foundation also seeks to support students who are experiencing homelessness or are simply in need. They have two “Care Closets” at two high schools, Seneca Valley and Damascus High School that they work to keep stocked with essentials the students need.
The CORE Foundation has grown into a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, with donations being tax-deductible. Her vision is clear: to provide dignity, respect, and compassion for those experiencing homelessness and to encourage communities to act with understanding rather than indifference. She is now working closely to connect with the community in integral ways, she is a constant presence with the Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce, an instrumental force in shaping the future of Germantown and their business community. From networking events to walking the back alleys of 7-11’s, offering support to the homeless community, it is people like her who are working tirelessly to give a voice to some of the most vulnerable in our community and connect- including the almost 1,000 people experiencing homelessness right here in Montgomery County.
As Esisonia reminds us, “The CORE Foundation is built on the belief that humanity should guide our treatment of others, even the most seemingly invisible.”
To learn more about Core Foundation visit their website here: https://thecorefoundationmc.org
Zeina Davis is the owner of Montgomery County-based marketing and events agency, Mosaic Creative Agency. She specializes in social media, event planning, marketing, community outreach, and placemaking, helping to elevate local initiatives and foster community connections. Growing up in Montgomery County, Maryland, and currently residing in Gaithersburg with her husband and two children, Zeina has a deep-rooted passion for enriching the community she calls home and initiatives that enrich the everyday lives of those in Montgomery County and beyond. [email protected]
