This lemonade stand raised $184 for Tommy’s Pantry on July 4th! See Fundraising Corner for details.

Monthly Update 7.19.2025

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Dear Takoma Park and Silver Spring families and friends,

We were so energized by the volunteer spirit on display at the Takoma Park July 4th parade. From the awesome cadre of volunteers who marched with us to the cheers of support from the crowds along the parade route, we remain immensely grateful for the support from the greater Takoma Park and Silver Spring communities.

During this challenging and uncertain time, your support for Tommy’s Pantry remains critical. We continue to see our community stepping up in wonderful ways. From pop-up lemonade stands donating their proceeds to Tommy’s Pantry to the volunteers who show-up at a moment’s notice to help pick-up deliveries and help prep as we continue to need to get creative given funding cuts and uncertainty. 

Please check-out our volunteer opportunities for the upcoming month. With summer vacations in full swing there are lots of opportunities to help fill boxes and distribute – and we need the help!

Thank you for your continued support and we hope to see you at a distribution or a packing session soon!

Best,

Sasha Johnson
Tommy’s Pantry Secretary

Upcoming/Ongoing/Recent Events

  • Takoma Park 4th of July Parade: Thank you to all who marched with Tommy’s Pantry in the Takoma Park 4th of July Parade or cheered us on from the bandstands! Tommy’s Pantry marchers had a great time waving to supporters and promoting the vital role of Tommy’s Pantry in our community. If you missed it, we hope to see you at next year’s parade!

Fundraising Corner

  • Small Fundraising Events like the lemonade stand pictured above are a great way to support Tommy’s Pantry. George Walker (13), along with his sibling and friends Elizabeth Walker (11), Vivie Wells (11), Rosie Wells (11), and Josephine Schojan (11) reached out to Tommy’s Pantry via their parents to get set up with an event-specific QR code for easy donating. The result was $184 for Tommy’s Pantry! Thank you to all who donated to the lemonade stand, and to the Walker family and friends for their gracious support of Tommy’s Pantry. If you are interested in hosting a small fundraising event to benefit Tommy’s Pantry, please reach out to Paula at tommyspantry@gmail.com for more information.
  • Tommy’s Pantry distributes school supplies to our recipients with children each year at the start of school. Just as we needed help in July filling our Wellness Boxes, we need your help filling these backpacks.  Help Tommy’s Pantry raise the $4989.60 it will cost us to fill 324 backpacks. We will absorb this cost with operating funds, but any amount you can donate will go a long way to offsetting this expense. https://www.zeffy.com/donation-form/help-us-provide-school-supplies .
  • 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 group: Grace Studios!

Tommy’s Pantry  News & Social Media

Receive Help

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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