Tommy’s Pantry: FAQ

Tommy’s Pantry is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in lower Montgomery County, MD that provides food assistance, wellness boxes, and fresh produce to families facing hardship. Named after the late Tommy Raskin, we distribute resources to 360+ households monthly, guided by the principle that human dignity should be preserved for all.

Tommy’s Pantry is located in lower Montgomery County, Maryland. We serve families throughout Montgomery County and surrounding areas. Visit our Contact Us page for specific distribution site locations and times.

ALL are welcome at Tommy’s Pantry distributions. We serve any family or individual facing hardship in the Montgomery County, MD area. No documentation or proof of income is required. We believe everyone deserves access to food and essential items with dignity and respect.

Tommy’s Pantry conducts distributions once per month, with our distribution site operating 2 times monthly to serve 360+ households. Each month we distribute 360 shelf-stable food boxes, 360 wellness boxes (hygiene and cleaning products), and 360 fresh produce boxes.

Tommy’s Pantry provides three types of boxes: (1) Shelf-stable food boxes containing items like peanut butter, canned soup, cooking oil, and pantry staples; (2) Wellness boxes with hygiene items (soap, deodorant, period products) and cleaning products (laundry detergent, toilet paper); (3) Fresh produce boxes with fruits and vegetables for nutritious meals.

You can donate to Tommy’s Pantry in several ways: one-time donations starting at $10 (provides 8 full-size deodorants), monthly recurring donations starting at $10/month (supports a year’s supply of maxi pads for 4 women), or volunteering at our distributions. Every donation helps us maintain our mission of serving 360+ households monthly. Visit our Donate page to contribute.

Tommy Raskin was the inspiration and namesake for Tommy’s Pantry. His unwavering belief in ensuring human dignity for all people remains the foundation of our nonprofit’s mission. Tommy’s Pantry honors his legacy by providing food assistance with respect and compassion to families in Montgomery County, MD.

Tommy’s Pantry serves 360+ local households each month through our monthly food, wellness, and produce distributions. Through our distributions and participation in the Manna Smart Sacks program, we are on track to serve 13,032 households this year (2026).

Tommy’s Pantry relies on volunteers to conduct our monthly distributions serving 360+ households. You can sign up to volunteer through our SignUpGenius page or visit our Volunteer page for more information about opportunities to help pack boxes, distribute food, and support our mission in Montgomery County, MD.

Yes, Tommy’s Pantry is a recognized 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. All donations to Tommy’s Pantry are tax-deductible. We operate with full transparency and accountability to our donors, volunteers, and the Montgomery County, MD community we serve.

The Manna Smart Sacks program is a school-based initiative that Tommy’s Pantry participates in to extend our reach to children facing food insecurity. Through this partnership with Manna Food Center, we help ensure that students in Montgomery County have access to nutritious food throughout the school year.