Santa is coming to Main Street Takoma for a FREE Meet and Greet on Sunday, December 19 from 11-2pm in front of the Streetery in Main Street Takoma. We will be practicing social distancing so no one will be able to sit on Santa’s lap, but we will have a pickup truck for child(ren), individuals, and families to pose on next to Santa. Please bring your own cameras/cell phones. If anyone has large ornaments or a large teddy bear that we can use as photo props please let me know. Our thanks to Santa Karl Kosok, Emily Glazer, Sharon Broderick, and Laura Barclay.

1,205 wonderful Thanksgiving baskets were assembled and distributed this year to families at Essex House Apartments, Hampshire Tower Apartments, Park Richie Apartments, Mapleview Apartments, Edinburgh Apartments, Cambridge Apartments, Parkview Apartments, Eastern MS, Twinbrook ES, Weller Road ES, and families in Takoma Park/Silver Spring through our distribution at the TP SDA Church. Our thanks to our friends Carla Cash/Key to Karma Inc, Georgia Ferentinos, Saints Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church of Washington DC, TPSS Coop, TP SDA Church, Safeway on Norbeck, and our team for tirelessly working to make sure our families had a lovely Thanksgiving.

STM collected over 500 gently used coats and distributed them at Takoma Park ES, Piney Branch ES, and the TPSS Coop. Our thanks to our partners TPSS Coop, Ace Hardware, Main Street Pearl, St. George Greek Orthodox Church, TPES, PBES, and everyone who donated items to help keep everyone warm this winter.

Our thanks to the The Baltimore Ravens, Maryland Governor’s Office on Service & Volunteerism, and M&T Bank for this kind recognition of our work through the Ravens Honor Rows Program. Thank you for the game tickets and tees as well. Our members had an amazing time.

Congressman Jamie Raskin presented Small Things Matter with a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition for our food work for families in need on October 16, 2021. It was a great honor and we look forward to continuing to helping our neighbors.

Our deepest thanks to everyone who helped make our 1st benefit concert fundraiser a success!

Thanks to our amazing partners: TPSS Coop & Main Street Pearl

Thanks to our amazing bands: Marsha and the Positrons, Flo Anito & Seth Kibel, and Groovalicious

Thanks to our amazing friends: Drumming Circle by Sharon Gervasoni

Thanks to our amazing food vendors: Corned Beef King and STM Grill/Shave Ice

Thanks to our amazing elected officals for coming out and spreading awareness about hunger in our community: Congressman Jamie Raskin, Delegate David Moon, Delegate Lorig Charkoudian, Mayor Kate Stewart, TP City Councilperson Talisha Searcy, TP City Councilperson Peter Kovar

Thanks to our amazing donors and thanks to all of you for coming out and supporting our event! 100% of the funds will be used to support our neighbors in need. Thank you!!!

Small Things Matter is hosting an outdoor concert fundraiser on Saturday, October 16 at the Co-op from 12noon-5pm.  There will be live music by Groovalicious, Marsha and the Positrons, and Flo Anito and Seth Kibel, food, drinks (beer/wine/non-alcoholic beverages), and kids activities. All proceeds to benefit Small Things Matter Kokua Foods. Get your tickets here.

Food:

Dalia’s Falefels, Corned Beef King, hot dogs/hamburgers, lemonade, soda, beer by Main Street Pearl, wine by TPSS Coop, Hawaiian shave ice! Be there for the debut of the Jamin’ Jamie, a patriotic blend of red strawberry and blue raspberry syrups, garnished with an American flag.  

Music:

12noon-1pm Marsha and the Positrons

1pm Drum Circle led by Sharon Gervasoni

1:30-2:30pm Flo Anito & Seth Kibel

3:00pm-5:00pm Groovalicious

Activities:

All day Kids crafts

3pm Bag It: Food Packing Competition with Mayor Kate Stewart, Ward 6 TP Councilperson Talisha Searcy, Ward 1 TP Councilperson Peter Kovar, MoCo Councilperson Evan Glass, and Delegates Lorig Charkoudian and David Moon

COVID-19 shots are available for elderly, immunocompromised, or working with someone who is at risk is eligible to receive a booster shot as long as they are 29 days from their last COVID shot.  COVID-19 shots (Moderna/Pfizer) are available to those wishing to get vaccinated. To receive a Flu shot you must have insurance. Signups are here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0c45afaa22a02-flushot

It is always so heartwarming to see how many hands working together can accomplish great things. Yesterday’s teen pantry distribution was a great example of this. In addition to our teen members we received volunteer support from the Church of Jesus Christ Latter-Day Saints as well as generous donations of nonperishable foods from Manna, meat and cheese from Wegmans, hot meals from our partners at Silver Spring Cares, feminine hygiene products, bras, and socks from I Support the Girls, and blankets from Montgomery County Family and Community Services. Together we were able to serve several hundred families in unity.

Thank you to everyone who made our backpack and school supplies collection a success. Together we gave out over 1500 backpacks with school supplies and also provided over 200 middle and high schoolers with school supplies. We are grateful to all the MS/HS students and groups (Girl Scout Troop 3010, Lambda Theta Alpha, Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church of Washington DC, Eliassen Group, and The Monitor Group) who donated and to all our wonderful members and businesses who hosted collection sites for us (Christie Allen, Jim Douglas, Risa Shaw, Ashby Strassburger, Steve Whitney, TPSS Coop, El Golfo, Main Street Pearl, Takoma Bev Co, Athleta).