Lumina summer campers packed 360 backpacks for our August 2nd distribution.

Monthly Update 8.30.2025:Welcome back to school!

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Dear Takoma Park and Silver Spring families and friends,

Welcome back to school! Thanks to all of our volunteers (students, new faces, and seasoned pros alike) who helped serve our participants over the summer. We hope the start of this school year finds all of you happy, healthy, and doing fulfilling work.

At the beginning of August, with your help, we distributed 360 backpacks, a record number for this special annual distribution. Special thanks to Lumina summer campers, who packed each backpack full of school supplies like pens, pencils, erasers, highlighters, scissors, crayons, glue, folders, and more to prepare the households we serve for the start of the school year. 

The gratitude and relief we see among those receiving the backpacks is always a highlight of this special distribution, and we invite those of you who have yet to volunteer at a distribution to try something new. Volunteer opportunities for September are now available on our Sign Up Genius page. Additionally, requests to attend supervisor trainings and chances to share professional skills can be shared on this Google form.

Have a wonderful start to the school year. We look forward to seeing you and new 6th-graders on our volunteer roster soon.

Warmly,


Wendy Kent, President

Upcoming/Ongoing/Recent Events

  • NOW TRAINING Tommy’s Pantry packing and distribution supervisors, Spanish language support volunteers, and more! Interested in leveling up your Tommy’s Pantry volunteer experience? Please share your details here and we’ll be in touch: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdySipSRnX9T6sLetbZs_rKh0fTrs4qTiD8XgZQhgIwg7jh_w/viewform?usp=header
  • Hat Drive NOW through October 24th; We will be collecting new store bought and newly handcrafted winter hats as part of our Hat Drive through October 24th, 2025. Hats should be soft next to skin, machine-washable preferred. Students can earn 4 SSL hours for each contribution of a hat they have made. Hats will be distributed to our recipients in November. Please reach out to tommyspantry@gmail.com with any questions & thank you for your generosity! Drop-off locations (or bring to a volunteer session at Tommy’s Pantry):
    • gray bin on the front step at 710 Devonshire Ave, Takoma Park, MD 20912 
    • gray bin on the front step at 14 Darwin Ave, Takoma Park, MD 20912 (walking distance from Takoma Park elementary and middle schools & Maple Ave Community Center)
  • Save the Date for our Fall Fundraiser! Please join us for this year’s celebration on Sunday, September 28th from 3-5pm in Takoma Park. More details and tickets are available at the following link: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/tommys-pantry-2025-fall-fundraiser

Fundraising Corner

  • Small Fundraising Events like lemonade stands and concerts are a great way to support Tommy’s Pantry. Please reach out to  Paula at tommyspantry@gmail.com to get set up with an event-specific QR code for easy donating and to receive more information.
  • 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, and please include a gift receipt so we can thank you for your contribution. 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.
  • Looking to level up? Requests to attend supervisor trainings and chances to share professional skills can be shared on this Google form.
  • 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.
  • Group sessions are back on the volunteer menu through the end of the school year. Please email tommyspantry@gmail.com about group volunteering opportunities in Fall of 2025.
  • Shoutout to our summer camp volunteer group: Lumina!

Tommy’s Pantry  News & Social Media

Receive Help

  • Family health/wellness and cleaning supplies distribution: Join us on the morning of Saturday, September 6th. 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, September 20th. 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.
  • Know Your Rights: Please visit the Know Your Rights page at tommyspantry.org for multilingual resources regarding your rights and safety planning to protect yourselves and loved ones. 
  • FREE Ride On bus rates: $0 fares are now in effect for all passengers on all Ride On, Ride On extRa, Ride On Flex, and Flash Buses in Montgomery County. For more information, visit https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DOT-transit/fares/ .
  • 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 and Reduced-Price Meals (FARMS) for MoCo students 18 and younger. For the 2025-2026 school year, it is important to complete the Free and Reduced Meals (FARMS) form if you have previously, or believe you will qualify for free or reduced meals. If your family qualifies for any level of FARMS support, all meals are free. Only 1 application is required per household. Apply online at www.MySchoolApps.com .

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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