Dear Takoma Park and Silver Spring families and friends,
Thank you to all our volunteers who helped celebrate our 2nd Annual Volunteer Appreciation Open House on June 14th! If you missed it, I hope you’ll join us for the next one for a chance to socialize over bagels, coffee, and donuts, get some free Tommy’s Pantry swag, and earn a chance to win a fabulous raffle prizes donated by our Board. In the meantime, please continue to offer your time and skills to help us get vital food and wellness supplies to neighbors who need them.
We’ve got another fun volunteer event lined up for next month as well – marching in the Takoma Park 4th of July Parade. Marchers have fun decorating festive signs and greeting all our Tommy’s Pantry fans in the crowd. Please RSVP by emailing me at sgoupell@gmail.com , and I will send you more info.
Whether you help move supplies, pack boxes, or keep our distributions running efficiently and safely, please know that we truly can not do this work without you. Our more than 300 volunteers form a reliable base we can depend on, and Tommy’s Pantry doesn’t work without each and every one of you.
For more information about volunteering, please visit the Volunteer page of our website at tommyspantry.org/volunteer/ and I hope to see you at Tommy’s Pantry soon!
With Gratitude,
Sarah Goupell, Vice President
Upcoming/Ongoing/Recent Events
- March with us in the Takoma Park 4th of July Parade: If you are in town for the 4th of July, please consider marching with Tommy’s Pantry in the Takoma Park 4th of July Parade. Tommy’s Pantry marchers will gather at 9 am (location to be announced), and the march begins at 10 am on July 4th. Please email Sarah at sgoupell@gmail.com if you can join us, so that we can provide Tommy’s Pantry logo gear for all who march. More info about the parade route can be found here.
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 group sessions through the end of the school year are full. Please email tommyspantry@gmail.com about group volunteering opportunities in Fall of 2025.
- Shoutout to our recent volunteer groups: Girl Scouts and Marissa Miller & friends!
Tommy’s Pantry News & Social Media
- Stay connected with us on social media! You can follow us on Instagram (@tommyspantrytkpk), and like our Tommy’s Pantry Facebook page.
- For even more information, photos from our packing and distribution events, and Spanish, Pashto, 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.
Receive Help
- Family health/wellness and cleaning supplies distribution: Join us on the morning of Saturday, July 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 (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, July 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.
- 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 .
- FREE Summer Meals for students 18 and younger. From June 2nd through June 26th, Montgomery County children aged 18 and younger can receive free meals through the USDA. Please visit https://www.fns.usda.gov/summer/sitefinder to find out which of the eight participating meal sites in the county is closest to you. Children must sign in to receive food and meals must be eaten on site.
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.
