Our youngest TPCDC volunteers - 3 and 4 years old!

Monthly Update 4.18.2025

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Dear Takoma Park and Silver Spring families and friends,

Tommy’s Pantry continues to navigate and respond to recent upheaval throughout the federal government. As mentioned previously, we have pivoted our distributions to help move our participants through the line as quickly as possible. We are working tirelessly to reinstate our produce supply, which was halted in March.

Now more than ever, we need and greatly appreciate your volunteer and donor support.

On April 27th we’ll have our third annual Tommy’s Pantry Spring Fling. Please join the Raskin Family and the Tommy’s Pantry board for this celebration at Diana & Billy Conway’s beautiful home. There’s still time to reserve a ticket at: https://tommyspantry.org/2025-spring-fling/ . We hope to see you there!

We’re very excited to report that we have started our partnership with the Crittenton Services Pearls Program. Tommy’s Pantry is providing vital support to young mothers to help relieve some of their financial burden in an effort to keep these young mothers in high school. Through your generous donations and a grant from the Cloudbreak Foundation, we provide diapers, wipes, formula, wellness and shelf stable food boxes monthly.

Please keep our participants and federal workers in your heart as they negotiate this unprecedented turmoil. 

Warmly,


Wendy Kent, President

Upcoming/Ongoing/Recent Events

  • Don’t miss the Annual Spring Fling!: Tommy’s Pantry’s annual Spring Fling is Sunday, April 27th from 4-7 pm, and tickets are on sale NOW! Please join us and the Raskin family in Potomac, MD to help raise money for Tommy’s Pantry as we celebrate the season of renewal and the memory of our namesake, Tommy Raskin. 

Fundraising Corner

  • 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, https://tommyspantry.org/donate/. 
  • In-Kind Contributions Welcome: Please visit our website (tommyspantry.org) to donate financially or consider making an online purchase of items from our Amazon wish list. Visit https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/I7P0QJ2992AF?ref_=wl_share to purchase high-need and hard-to-buy-in-bulk wellness items. 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!

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

  • We have recently reconfigured the logistics of our distribution process. Please note new times and task descriptions related to helping at distributions on our Sign Up Genius.
  • 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.
  • Please email tommyspantry@gmail.com about group volunteering opportunities in 2025.
  • Shoutout to our recent volunteer group: Takoma Park Child Development Center!

Tommy’s Pantry  News & Social Media

Receive Help

  • Shelf-stable food distribution: Food boxes will be offered on the morning of Saturday, April 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 (630 Silver Spring Ave, Silver Spring, MD). If you plan to walk up, please email tommyspantry@gmail.com in advance.
  • Family health/wellness and cleaning supplies distribution: Join us on the morning of Saturday, May 3rd. 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 (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

Hannah Deutsch
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

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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