Monthly Update 11.16.2024: Giving Thanks

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Dear Takoma Park and Silver Spring families and friends,

The days leading up to Thanksgiving remind us of all we have to be grateful for in our lives, especially those who love and support us. We want to take this opportunity to thank the many of you who donate your time volunteering and contributing financially so that Tommy’s Pantry has the manpower and the funding resources to continue to serve our neighbors in need. 

In 2025, Tommy’s Pantry is now expecting that more of our neighbors will need assistance and we plan to meet this growing need. As always, we will greet everyone in our recipient community with welcoming kindness.

Right now, we need more volunteers to help move and distribute supplies. If you can spare a few hours to help out, please sign up now. At Tommy’s Pantry, we emphasize mutual respect between those who give and those who receive. We recognize the person receiving today can be giving tomorrow. We recognize that there are multiple ways of giving – so that even those in need who receive assistance can still contribute meaningfully to their community.

We hope you will continue to support Tommy’s Pantry throughout 2024 and into 2025. Thank you for joining us in our mission to uplift our neighbors and build a more resilient and caring society.

Sincerely,


Wendy Kent, President

Upcoming/Ongoing Events

  • Alternative Gift Fair on December 7th; Tommy’s Pantry has been selected to participate in this year’s Alternative Gift Fair! The in-person Fair will take place on Saturday, December 7th from 12-4pm in the gym of the Takoma Park Presbyterian Church, 310 Tulip Ave, Takoma Park, MD 20912. You can also make gift donations online at https://aggw.org/.
  • Brass Band Concert on December 7th; After attending the Alternative Gift Fair, grab some dinner and head to Church of the Ascension (home of Tommy’s Pantry) for an evening of music. The concert starts at 7pm and will feature Ascension Music Director and members of the United States Air Force band. In lieu of ticket sales to this popular winter event, donations will be collected for Tommy’s Pantry. 

Hat Drive Success

  • Thanks to all of our donors and crafters for helping to celebrate another successful Winter Hat Drive! This year’s drive collected 149 hats, enough so that each of our walk-up recipients could choose 2 for their household at our November 16th distribution. Special thanks to the Knitting and Crochet Group of the Takoma Park, MD Library and the Difference Makers at TPMS for partnering with Tommy’s Pantry to make and collect hats. Thank you again for your generosity, and we hope you’ll participate again next year!

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! 

Fundraising Corner

  • Put us on your holiday gift list! 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/.

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.
  • Volunteer shoutout to our recent groups: World Explorers, Grace Studios, Marissa Miller & friends, Solid Ground, and 1st Church DC!

Tommy’s Pantry News & Social Media

Receive Assistance with Food & Wellness Items

  • Family health/wellness and cleaning supplies distribution: Join us on Saturday, December 7th, 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, December 21st, 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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