Monthly Update 8.17.2024:Welcome Back Students!

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Dear Takoma Park and Silver Spring families and friends,

Welcome back to students! We hope you all have had enjoyable summers and that those with children are ready to start a healthy and happy new school year. As new volunteer opportunities for September get posted on our Sign Up Genius page this weekend, we look forward to seeing new 6th-grader volunteers as they start earning their SSL hours.

Thanks to all of our volunteers (students, new faces, and seasoned pros alike) who helped serve our recipients at this Saturday’s distribution. With your help, we distributed a record number of items to more than 300 local households. As in years past, we distributed backpacks full of school supplies like scissors, crayons, glue, folders, and more to prepare the households we serve for the start of the school year. We also distributed boxes of shelf-stable food, boxes of fresh fruits and vegetables, AND bags of masa. We hope to see all of Saturday’s helping hands back at Tommy’s Pantry soon!

Until next time, have a wonderful start to the school year and keep bringing us those SSL forms. We depend on our local students and their families for ongoing volunteer support. We can not do this work without your help, and we value the skills and time you bring to us.

Sincerely,

Sarah Goupell, Vice President

Upcoming Events

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

  • Can You Help Us Supply Expecting/Parenting Teens with Wellness Supplies? Tommy’s Pantry is excited to announce a new partnership with Crittenton Services of Greater Washington (https://crittentonservices.org/). Together we are launching a pilot program to supply teenage girls with shampoo, period products, deodorant and more as they begin the school year. This pilot program focuses on 13 girls in the Crittenton Services PEARLS program (https://crittentonservices.org/programs/pearls/#more-3486), a positive youth development program to help young women who are pregnant or parenting stay in school. Half of the $32,000 needed to launch this program has already been pledged, but we need another $16,000 to fund a full year of essential basic hygiene products!  Please help by donating today: https://www.zeffy.com/donation-form/4c10f9fd-9993-4828-a34d-4f49a9def094.
  • 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/.
  • 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!

Volunteer Update

  • New volunteer opportunities for September 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 group volunteer sessions for Fall are now available. Please email tommyspantry@gmail.com with inquiries.

Tommy’s Pantry News & Social Media

Receive Assistance with Food & Wellness Items

  • Family health/wellness and cleaning supplies distribution: Join us on Saturday, September 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, September 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 new 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 .
  • Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) offers FREE summer meals to youth aged 18 years old and younger. For locations, menus, and more information about these free summer meals offered by MCPS, please visit https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/food-and-nutrition/programs/.
  • 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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