August 2026 Newsletter: Welcome Back to School!

Volunteers distributing school supplies and backpacks during our August 1 distribution.

Dear Takoma Park and Silver Spring families and friends,

As I say farewell to summer, I’m wistful, but excited about the change of seasons – cooler temperatures, beautiful foliage and the beginning of a brand-new school year.

Thanks to so many of you who once again supported our annual back-to-school, Backpack Drive. Through your generosity, we were able to provide 360 fully loaded backpacks to the school age children of so many of our participants. I don’t know about you, but my kids always looked forward to having new notebooks, pens and other school supplies at the beginning of each new school year. Thank you for helping make this possible for so many school age children!

As your fall calendar begins to fill up, I hope you will Save the Date, Sunday, September 27^th, for the Tommy’s Pantry annual Fall Fundraiser. If you’ve attended in years past, you’ll remember what a great event this is with a chance to reconnect with friends, share summer memories and maybe meet some new people. If you haven’t yet attended, we hope you’ll join us this year for this Takoma Park tradition!

Space is limited, so reserve your tickets now!

In addition to our Fall Fundraiser, I hope you will consider joining us for a distribution this fall. As a supporter, you know the value of the services Tommy’s Pantry provides, but there is real satisfaction in being part of a team that distributes the food and wellness boxes. I would encourage you to join us to see your support in action. Sign up to volunteer and see what a difference you make.

I hope you enjoy this new season and we look forward to seeing you and new 6th-graders on our volunteer roster soon (hint, hint). It’s never too soon to start accumulating the SSL hours!

Again, many thanks for your support.

Paula Kowalczuk

Board Member, Tommy’s Pantry

Volunteer Spotlight

Meet our Volunteer Spotlight this month, Marisol Morales! From packing food and wellness boxes to translating for our neighbors, Marisol is always ready to lend a helping hand.

If you’ve been to Tommy’s Pantry during our walk-up distributions, you may have seen Marisol greeting participants, lending a hand, or helping Spanish-speaking families navigate questions and resources. Since joining us about a year ago, Marisol has become a familiar face at our distributions and during our packing days, always ready to connect with participants and offer her support.

“I love helping people,” Marisol says. She especially enjoys talking with participants and using her translation skills to help families feel heard and understood. Sometimes that means answering questions or connecting someone with other food security resources and services, support that can be particularly meaningful for families who may feel hesitant to seek assistance because of their immigration status.

That spirit of connection extends beyond Tommy’s Pantry. Marisol loves helping others, especially older adults, and spending quality time with her family and friends, whether going to church or enjoying a movie together. She says one of her favorite parts of volunteering is simply talking with different people and working alongside the other volunteers. Thank you, Marisol for helping make Tommy’s Pantry a welcoming place for everyone!

What’s Happening at Tommy’s Pantry

Save the Date for our Fall Fundraiser! Join us on Sunday, September 27th in Takoma Park for this year’s celebration. Tickets are now available — reserve yours today!
Tommy’s Pantry receives $10,000 Grant! We’re incredibly grateful to receive a $10,000 grant from the Tommy Raskin Memorial Fund for People and Animals! This generous support means so much to our small, volunteer-powered organization and will help us continue providing food and essential items to neighbors in our community. A heartfelt thank you to the Tommy Raskin Memorial Fund for People and Animals for believing in our work and helping us make a difference.
Hat Drive NOW through October 23rd! We will be collecting new store bought and newly handcrafted winter hats as part of our Hat Drive through October 23rd. Hats should be soft next to skin, machine-washable preferred. Students can earn 4 SSL hours for each contribution of a hat they have made. Hats will be distributed to our recipients in November. Please reach out to tommyspantry@gmail.com with any questions & thank you for your generosity! Drop-off location (or bring to a volunteer session at Tommy’s Pantry): labeled bin at 10 Elwyn Court, Silver Spring, MD 20910.

Volunteer Updates

Shout out to our student volunteers! A huge THANK YOU to all the amazing students who spent part of their summer giving back at Tommy’s Pantry. From packing boxes and organizing supplies to helping at distributions. Our community is stronger because of you.
To register for an upcoming volunteer opportunity, please visit our sign up page. Available dates are updated monthly. SSL hours are available for students.
Planning a group activity? Consider Tommy’s Pantry. We schedule group volunteer sessions 1-2 months in advance. Email us at tommyspantry@gmail.com to choose a date.

Fundraising Corner

Become a Monthly Donor – Please consider Monthly Giving. It’s not just that monthly gifts make a big monetary impact (though they do!), but for Tommy’s Pantry especially, monthly gifts help with planning and budgeting in a way that has a direct impact on our income stream making it easier for us to know how much money we can count on each month. Make a Donation here.
Donations Always Accepted – Tommy’s Pantry is 100% volunteer run, and our budget can always use a boost. Your financial support is crucial to keeping food and wellness boxes flowing into the hands of those in need, visit https://tommyspantry.org/donate/.

Receive Assistance with Food & Wellness Items

Every box loaded represents the generosity of our volunteers and the strength of our community.

Family health/wellness and cleaning supplies distribution: Join us on the morning of Saturday, September 5th. Boxes are distributed in order of arrival while supplies last. The drive-up distribution location is at the back of Church of the Ascension, across the street from East Silver Spring Elementary School (630 Silver Spring Ave, Silver Spring, MD). If you plan to walk up, please email tommyspantry@gmail.com in advance.
Shelf-stable food distribution: Food boxes will be offered on the morning of Saturday, September 19th. Boxes are distributed in order of arrival while supplies last. The drive-up distribution location is at the back of Church of the Ascension, across the street from East Silver Spring Elementary School (630 Silver Spring Ave, Silver Spring, MD). If you plan to walk up, please email tommyspantry@gmail.com in advance.

Community Resources & Your Rights

Know Your Rights: Please visit the Know Your Rights page at tommyspantry.org for multilingual resources regarding your rights and safety planning to protect yourselves and loved ones.
FREE and Reduced-Price Meals (FARMS) for MoCo students 18 and younger. For the 2026-2027 school year, it is important to complete the Free and Reduced Meals (FARMS) form if you have previously, or believe you will qualify for free or reduced meals. If your family qualifies for any level of FARMS support, all meals are free. Only 1 application is required per household. Apply online at www.MySchoolApps.com.
FREE Ride On bus rates: $0 fares are now in effect for all passengers on all Ride On, Ride On extRa, Ride On Flex, and Flash Buses in Montgomery County. For more information, visit https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DOT-transit/fares/.
50% off WMATA fares: WMATA’s Metro Lift program offers 50% off Metrobus and Metrorail trips for DC, Maryland, and Virginia customers enrolled in SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program). For more information in multiple languages, and to enroll, visit https://www.wmata.com/fares/Reduced-Fare-Programs/MetroLift/index.cf

Our On-Site Little Free Pantry Needs Some Love

Our Little Free Pantry at 630 Silver Spring Ave is heavily used and rapidly depleted. Please consider bringing some extra pasta, cereal, soup, and/or toiletries, etc. you may have at home to help keep our 24-hour pantry stocked. Thank you!

Stay Connected – Social Media & News

Make sure you’re following us on Social Media! You can follow us on Instagram (@tommyspantrytkpk) and our Tommy’s Pantry Facebook page.

We’re proud to make our resources more accessible by providing information on our website in Spanish, Arabic, French and Amharic. Check out our website!

For even more information, photos from our packing and distribution events, and Spanish, Pashto, French and Amharic translations of this newsletter, visit the News page on our website.
Want to get this newsletter sent to your inbox? Email tommyspantry@gmail.com to subscribe.

Thank you for your continued support of this vital community initiative.

Tommy’s Pantry collaborates with PTA leaders, school counselors, administration and ESOL teachers from each of our schools, Blair high school counselors, the City of Takoma Park, and county social workers. With the help of all of these people and organizations, we have quick and direct contact with families who need help. Rest assured that we are reaching far into the community – all across Takoma Park and families from the East Silver Spring neighborhood.