Monthly Update 1.18.2025: Remembering Tommy Raskin 

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Dear Takoma Park and Silver Spring families and friends,

While January marks a time of new beginnings in many ways, it is also a time when we honor our namesake Tommy Raskin. In this fifth remembrance of Tommy’s extraordinary life and light, we again give a boost to our wellness box program, where our connection to Tommy’s spirit and the Raskin family began. This month, Tommy’s Pantry will purchase recipient-requested wellness items and pack them into our February distribution boxes. Our February boxes will include acetaminophen and thermometers, the two wellness items most requested by the households we serve, as well as a dozen other wellness staples like maxi pads, deodorant, and toothpaste (we welcome contributions of these items as part of our MLK Jr. Toiletries Drive).

These requests came to light as a result of our annual product satisfaction survey, which was conducted in December. This simple act of periodically collecting product input from the people we serve and making changes based on their feedback is a tribute to Tommy and his belief in dignity for all. As such, the Board has decided to increase our product survey frequency to quarterly instead of annually. This will help us keep current with the needs of those we serve, and the resulting adjustments to our purchase orders and packing lists will show our recipients that we value their input. 

Sincerely,


Wendy Kent, President

Upcoming/Ongoing Events

  • Toiletries Drive in Honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: From January 6th through January 24th, we will be collecting toothpaste (4-oz or larger), men’s and women’s deodorant (full-size), and maxi pads (24-ct or larger packs please) for local households in need in honor of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Donate virtually via: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/I7P0QJ2992AF?ref_=wl_share (choose “Mark Hines”, our In-Kind Donation Drive Coordinator, from your shipping address options). Donations can also be made in person during business hours at TPSS Co-op, Takoma Park Child Development Center, and East Silver Spring Elementary School. Please check the News page of our website for updates about this community drive celebrating dignity and solidarity. Thank you so much for your participation! 
  • Giving Blossoms Program Chooses Tommy’s Pantry for January: For the second year in a row, Park Florist has chosen Tommy’s Pantry to be a beneficiary of its Giving Blossoms program for the month of January. The program donates part of the sale of each featured arrangement to the selected local charity for the month. If you have an opportunity to purchase flowers for yourself or someone you care for over the course of this month, please consider the featured Giving Blossoms arrangement in shades of red and creamy blush. Thank you for your consideration and special thanks to Park Florist for including Tommy’s Pantry!

Fundraising Corner

  • Thank you for your Year End Donations!: Thanks to our many generous donors, our year-end drive was a success. It’s not too late to contribute. Please visit our website (tommyspantry.org) to donate.
  • Please consider making an online purchase of items for our MLK Drive: We have an Amazon wish list for high-need and hard-to-buy-in-bulk items! Visit https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/I7P0QJ2992AF?ref_=wl_share to purchase. Please choose “Mark Hines” from your shipping address options to have supplies mailed directly to our In-Kind Donation Drive Coordinator. Thank you for your donation!
  • Tommy’s Pantry is 100% volunteer run.  Your financial support is crucial to keeping food and wellness boxes flowing into the hands of those in need, https://tommyspantry.org/donate/.

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! 

Volunteer Update

  • New dates and times to volunteer are typically posted on the 3rd Saturdays of each month. Please check our volunteer Sign Up often for a chance to fill in for cancellations.
  • New volunteer opportunities have been added to our volunteer Sign Up! To join us in alleviating food insecurity in our community, visit the Tommy’s Pantry Sign Up page at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0c4eaca72ea1fe3-tommys#/.  Students can earn SSL hours. Ages 11 and up, and please accompany your 11-year-old if it will be their first time volunteering with us.
  • Weekday volunteers with muscle are still needed! If you are available on some Mondays, Wednesdays, and/or Fridays, we could use your help unloading deliveries and picking up our wellness supplies. Please visit our volunteer Sign Up for more info.
  • Our remaining group volunteer sessions for 2024 are full. Please email tommyspantry@gmail.com about opportunities in 2025.
  • Shoutout to this month’s volunteer group: Spreading Love At Marshall (SLAM; @gcmslamclub)!

Tommy’s Pantry News & Social Media

Receive Assistance with Food & Wellness Items

  • Family health/wellness and cleaning supplies distribution: Join us on Saturday, February 1st, at 7:30 am 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 (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 Saturday, February 15th, at 7:30 am 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 (630 Silver Spring Ave, Silver Spring, MD). If you plan to walk up, please email tommyspantry@gmail.com in advance.
  • 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.cfm .
  • To receive Free and Reduced-price Meals (FARMS) for the 2024–2025 school year, apply at https://www.myschoolapps.com/Application. Translations are available (select “Language” at the top of the screen). Families must fill out a new FARMS application each school year even if their child received FARMS services the year before.

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

Wendy Kent
Tommy’s Pantry President

Sarah Goupell
Tommy’s Pantry Vice President

Kathleen Bartels
Tommy’s Pantry Treasurer

Sasha Johnson
Tommy’s Pantry Secretary 

Paula Kowalczuk
Tommy’s Pantry Board Member, Chair of Fundraising Committee

Hannah Raskin
Tommy’s Pantry Board Member, Chair of Fundraising & Finance Committee

Adrienne Tilton
Tommy’s Pantry Board Member, At-large

Joe Newman
Tommy’s Pantry Student Board Member

Tommy’s Pantry collaborates with PTA leaders, school counselors, administration and ESOL teachers from each of our schools, Blair 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 the folks from the East Silver Spring neighborhood.

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