Volunteer Spotlight
Meet Brittany Love-Campbell and Kandace Lovelace
Brittany and Kandace have a way of pulling you in. Their positive energy, their beaming smiles, and their desire to help others make them outstanding representatives of our Rainbow Family: the volunteers who make Rainbow Place so special.
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Brittany and Kandace’s story is rooted in Montgomery County and deeply connected to Gaithersburg High School, where their professional journeys and lasting friendship first intersected. Brittany grew up just down the road in Prince George’s County and moved to Montgomery County in 2009. A dedicated educator for 17 years, she taught high school English in both Prince George’s County and Montgomery County Public Schools before becoming an assistant principal, and she is now in her second year as principal of Gaithersburg High School. Outside of work, Brittany is a proud mother of two daughters, ages 17 and 11, and a proud wife, married for nearly 13 years and together with her husband for 20.
Kandace, on the other hand, is a Gaithersburg native through and through, though her family’s roots run deep in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which she considers her second hometown. She lives locally with her husband, her high school sweetheart, and the two are newlyweds celebrating their first wedding anniversary this February.
Brittany and Kandace met 9 years ago at Gaithersburg High School when Brittany was an English teacher and Kandace was a paraeducator. Their connection deepened when Kandace became an English Composition Assistant and directly supported two of Brittany’s English classes, a collaboration that quickly turned into a close professional partnership and friendship. Today, their roles have evolved, but their shared commitment remains the same: Brittany now serves as principal, and Kandace is the head of the English department!
Brittany first discovered Rainbow while searching online for service opportunities connected to her long-held passion for supporting individuals experiencing “houselessness.” She explains, “Our homes are created with our experiences, loved ones, and in our eternal home, Heaven.”
“For me, this work goes well beyond volunteering — it’s service, it’s a calling,” Brittany shares. Serving at Rainbow allows Brittany to live out a dream she has carried since childhood: to one day help end houselessness and even open a shelter of her own, centered on dignity and access to resources.
Kandace joined Rainbow after Brittany shared her experience, immediately drawn to the mission and the opportunity to serve with empathy and compassion. Now in their second season volunteering, the pair are regulars in the kitchen — serving dinner, preparing lunches, organizing dishes, cleaning up, and stepping in wherever help is needed. While neither claims to be much of a cook, both are hoping to bring a meal for the ladies before the season ends.
One of their favorite parts of volunteering is working alongside veteran volunteer Meg Thale, who they describe as “the absolute best.” Together, the trio seamlessly divides tasks — plating food, serving guests, making lunches, washing and drying dishes — always making sure the kitchen is spotless before the night ends.
What keeps Brittany and Kandace coming back, though, is the heart of Rainbow itself: the warmth of the staff, the camaraderie among volunteers, and the appreciation from women they serve. Moments like being thanked with applause or hearing words of gratitude from guests have left a lasting impact. As Kandace puts it, “The work is already so fulfilling, and the ladies make it that much sweeter.”