We had a fantastic time at the Takoma Park Folk Festival! Thanks to everyone who stopped by to say hi, volunteer with us, or make a donation to support our food work in the community! Our thanks to Anu, Nina, Zuzu, Noah, Alex, John for sharing about our work, giving out bubbles, and helping the children make friendship bracelets!
Thank you to all of our amazing friends: community partners, individuals and family donors, and corporate sponsors for making this year’s backpacks filled with school supplies drive a success! We distributed them to the families we serve, as well as Title I schools who reached out to get support for their students. We need kindness more than ever before and we are so grateful for your help. Thank you!!!
Our thanks to Comptroller Brooke Lierman and TPSS Co-op GM Mike Houston for joining us at our distribution today and to Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) for the amazing backpacks that we shared today! Thanks to Montgomery County, MD Government, Purple Mountain Organics, Imperfect Foods, and our team Gemma, Mary, Syd, Edward, John, Nathaniel, Melissa, Katherine, Cecil, Chinyere, Pine, John, Yolanda, Elijah, Ved, Devin, Lew, Jim, Jimmy, Chris, Mary, Karen, Risa, Ethan, Marina, Al, Valerie, Pastor Steve, Glenn, Esther, Alanna, Yang, Isabelle, Pam, Raisa, John, John, Damien.
Each year STM collects brand new backpacks and school supplies to provide Montgomery County students in need! Our goal this year is to provide 2,500 students with a brand new backpack filled with supplies.
Collection boxes for school supplies are located throughout Montgomery County at the sites below:
Takoma Park – TPSS Co-op (201 Ethan Allen Ave), Tabletopdc (6927 Laurel Ave), and Old Takoma Ace Hardware (7001 Carroll Ave), The Takoma Park Seventh-day Adventist Church (6951 Carroll Ave), People’s Book (7014-A Westmoreland Ave).
Washington, DC– Yoga Heights (255 Carroll St NW)
Silver Spring – Heather Foley (12722 Two Farm Drive) & Natalie Miller (110 Hamilton Avenue)
Bethesda – Bunnag Comprehensive Dentistry (6501 Democracy Blvd)
Rockville – The Studio of Colour & Design by Margie Billian (14016 Flint Rock Road)
Gaithersburg – 205 Tschiffely Square Road
Derwood – Michele Levy (16708 Heartwood Drive)
Thank you to our amazing partners above as well as Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL), GFWC Metropolitan Community Club (MCC), The Monitor Group, Continuum Healthcare Network Telemedicine Program, STM Club at Bethesda Chevy Chase High School, Xometry, Sts Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church of Washington DC, Wellpoint, and our community!
Beautiful 4th of July parade today in Takoma Park! Loved seeing everyone! Thank you to Tara Marie Egan/ Takoma Park Independence Day Committee, our community, and our amazing team!
Wow! What an AMAZING celebration! The Juneteenth Celebration at Takoma Park Middle School hosted by Maple Community Association and the City of Takoma Park! Thanks to our amazing team: Ian Arthur Gray and Ian Gray (watermelon giveaway), Diane Marie St. George (Juneteenth bracelet making), Dr. Mikel Hoffman/Owner CuraCapitol (blood pressure screening), Esther Saggurthi/For Such A Time As This (mental health screening), Lana Anderson/Medical Assistant CuraCapitol (blood pressure screening), John Anderson, and Damien! Special thanks to Rev. Larry Walker/Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives for issuing a Proclamation to Maple Community Association, and to all the other government officials County Executive Marc Elrich, County Council President Kate Stewart, Takoma Park Mayor Talisha Searcy, Delegate Lorig Charkoudian, Delegate Jheanelle K. Wilkins, Takoma Park City Councilpersons Cara Honzak, Amy Wesolek, Cindy Dyballa, and Takoma Park City Manager Rob DiSpirito,as well as all the great musicians, and vendors!
Small Things Matter does most of its work in Montgomery County, but we also serve in Prince George’s County. Since the pandemic students have been makind sandwiches, casseroles, and baked goods for families at Bedford Station and Victoria Station, 2 low-income housing apartments in PG County on a bi-weekly basis. We have recently been serving Afghan refugees in PG County through a wonderful partnership with the PG County Police, Sts. Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church (clothing drive), Imperfect Foods (fresh produce), Linus Project of Montgomery County (blankets), We Do Seva (ice cream party), ISeeYou (nonperishable foods), Continuum Healthcare (blood pressure, vision screening), our volunteers who put together birthday kits (cake mix, frosting, pan, candles, banner) and hygiene kits (shampoo, conditioner, soap, brush, toothbrush, toothpaste) and purchased small toys.
Summer is not only a time to relax, but also a time of growth…especially for fruits and vegetables. We are so grateful for our partners that share their bounty during this time! Our friends at Harvest Share coordinates weekly donations from Norman’s and Fenton Street Community Garden which we share at the various Takoma Park Community Pantries. Look at those vibrant colors! Eat the rainbow!
STM received this lovely note of thanks from the residents of Hampshire Village, a senior living community that we share food at once a month. The residents are very sweet and we love the fact that they have assembled a team of residents that help distribute the food to the other seniors. This is what community is all about!
Woohoo! What a year! Today we finished our last distributions for the 2024-2025 school year for Weller Road Elementary School, Meadow Hall Elementary School, Piney Branch Elementary School, and Takoma Park Elementary School. Seeing all those smiling faces warms our hearts. We wish all of you a restful summer and we’ll see you in August!