Hey North Takoma neighbors,
Over the past several months our family has had the opportunity to volunteer
with the TPMS Cluster Food Support team in distributing food and other
essentials to folks who continue to live with the economic effects of COVID-19.
The program relies on a cascade of kindness, starting with the generosity of
the folks in our community. Here's a message from the organizers about the
future of the program . . . .
Thanks!
Chip
7904 Takoma Ave
While many of us are fully vaccinated and are starting to feel our own world
getting back to some semblance of normal, many of our neighbors continue to
suffer from the affects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Here are some startling
statistics:
The Department of Labor reported 850,000 new jobs were added in June 2021. At
this pace it will still take until mid 2022 to return to the number of people
employed pre-pandemic in January/February 2020.
Capital Area Food Bank & the Washington Post reported the following points on
June 26:
March 2020 of people accessing food pantries-59% identified as Black, 16%
Hispanic, 5% White
March 2021 of people accessing food pantries-51% identified as Hispanic, 26%
Black, 5 % White
March 2020-43% of respondents using a food pantry had children in the household
March 2021-69% of respondents using a food pantry had children in the household
Pre-COVID, 39% of respondents using a food pantry reported they had a job
Currently, 66% of respondents using a food pantry reported they had a job but
still could not feed the household
March 2020-45% using a food pantry were also enrolled in programs like SNAP
March 2021-only 16% accessing a food pantry were enrolled in programs like SNAP
Your financial contributions continue to go directly into the kitchens and
homes of our friends and neighbors. To continue this work, your donations and
volunteer support remain crucial. Please consider donating or signing up to
volunteer today!
If you’re able to DONATE, please do so here:
https://tpespta.net/donate-now
If you’re able to VOLUNTEER, please sign up here.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A4AAFA72FA0F58-gift
If you have a middle or high schooler who would like to volunteer, they may
receive Student Service Learning (SSL) hours by volunteering with us!
If you are a family in need of ASSISTANCE WITH FOOD:
- Family health/wellness and cleaning supplies will be distributed Saturday 8/7
at 8:30 am while supplies last
- Boxes of shelf-stable food are available at the back of Church of the
Ascension, across the street from East Silver Spring Elementary (630 Silver
Spring Ave, Silver Spring, MD) the 3rd Saturday of each month. Our next
distribution will be Saturday 7/17 at 8:30 am while supplies last.
- Produce will be distributed every other Wednesday morning (7/7 & 7/21) at
8:30 while supplies last in the Takoma Park Middle School parking lot, located
at 7611 Piney Branch Road.
- Please view the MCPS website for information about free summer meals services
available for students, including how to obtain bulk boxes containing breakfast
and lunch meals for 7 days, plus a box of fresh fruits and vegetables and a
gallon of milk. Bulk box service began on June 23rd and you need to pre-order
if you would like the early morning pick-up option (White Oak Middle School,
8-9am). Regular bulk box pick-up occurs on Wednesday 11:30am - 12:30pm or on
Fridays from 10am - noon and pre-registration is NOT required. A full list of
meal pick-up sites is available on the MCPS website. The USDA has granted
waivers that permit meal distribution to all youth 17 and under. MCPS students
over 18 will need to provide a student ID to pick up meals. Student names will
be required for meal pick-up.
- We work hand in hand with ACS and encourage families to receive food support
through their services as well as ours. To sign up for additional food services
at ACS, please call 301 585 6556Monday-Thursday9am-4pm. Thank you to Ken
Flemmer and Adventist Community Services (ACS) for sending the statistics
listed above to our neighborhood list serves!
Thank you so much for continuing to support this important community initiative.
Wendy Kent
Pantry Coordinator
Sarah Goupell
Piney Branch Elementary School
PTA Food Support Coordinator
Meghan Holland McDonald
Takoma Park Elementary School
PTA Food Support Coordinator
Kathleen Bartels
East Silver Spring Elementary School
PTA Food Support Coordinator
Fred Azcarate
Takoma Park Middle School
PTA President 2020-2021
Adrienne Tilton
Takoma Park Middle School
PTA, TPMS Paraeducator
Bryan Goehring
TPMS Difference Makers
The Takoma Park Middle School Cluster Food Support
Refers to a collaboration of 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.
