Winterfest 2019 on December 14

Thanks to everyone who came out to our Winterfest event on Saturday, December 14. Our deepest thanks to all the wonderful artisans and vendors (special thanks to those of you who donated items for our silent auction), STM members and student volunteers who led the kids crafting tables, Bach to Rock Bethesda, MD Glee Club for starting off our day in song, the Minority Scholars Program of Walter Johnson who giftwrapped presents for our families in need at Rolling Terrace ES, Maria Carzon who donated her facepainting and balloon talents, Einstein Bros. Bagels for donating bagels, TPSS Co-op for donating coffee, and to everyone’s favorite–Santa!

Alternative Gift Fair on December 7, 2019

STM had a wonderful time at the Takoma Park Alternative Gift Fair on December 7, 2019. If you couldn’t make it out today please shop online here: https://tinyurl.com/2019AGFShoppingList5
Our thanks to our wonderful members: Koji, Jacob, and Lana, to everyone who stopped by to speak with us and to the wonderful organizers Mimi Ikle-Khalsa, Jim Baird, Geoff Maxson, Sat Jiwan Ikle-Khalsa, Steve Smith, Steve Whitney, and Jim Groves for all their amazing work! We are so very grateful for your support! #kindnesswww.smallthingsmatter.org

CESJDS makes scarves for our Kokua Foods Families on December 4, 2019

Our thanks to the lower school students at Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School for making 60 hand-tied fleece scarves for our Kokua Foods Families. These will definitely keep them warm in more ways than one during the winter. Thanks to the 2 students that presented our work and to Michelle Marquardt for the kind invite.
If your school or business would like us to come out and host a charity crafting event for you please contact us! #kindness

Tilden MS Day of Caring on November 27, 2019

STM had a lovely day at Tilden Middle School‘s 7th Day of Caring on Wednesday, November 27, 2019. The students assembled toiletry bags filled with shampoo/conditioner/soap, shaving items, toothbrushes/toothpaste, lotion, socks, and more in eco-friendly cotton bags for us. We enjoyed meeting the students and sharing our mission. The students also made blankets, bookmarks, and collected games so serve others in the community. Our thanks to Beth Ciangiulli and Jane Stasko for their kind invite and to Adam for being a fantastic host and definitely the “I” in KIND! 

Kokua Foods distributes 10,000lbs of food to families in need during November

STM Kokua Foods distributed over 10,000lbs of fresh produce, grocery, dairy, bread, frozen foods, and canned goods and other nonperishable items to 125 Takoma Park and 150 Rockville families in need this November. This month we were excited to welcome the families at Wheaton Woods ES Elementary SchoolWheaton Woods PTA (WWES) to join TPMS, TPES, PBES, RTES, and MBHS in our monthly distributions. We are grateful to our partners at Wegmans Germantown, Wegmans Woodmore, Imperfect Foods, and the TPSS Co-op for their generous food donations, to Silver Spring Cares for donating 50 amazing casseroles to us, to the Nugent family for their weekly donation of a grocery bag of nonperishable foods, to TP Brownie Troop #34039 who served at our RTES distribution and donated rice and dry beans for the families there, to Wegmans Germantown for a special donation of scarves, wraps, bags, and holiday items for all of our families, and to U-Haul Moving & Storage in Takoma Park for donating the use of their trucks to us. Special thanks to our distribution partner Bryan Goehring & Difference Makers/TPMS, and site managers Doris Duarte/Hampshire Tower Apts and Helen Winder/WWES. Thanks also to our STM members (Lana, Jacob, Sam, Jacinto, and Abigail) for helping with the distribution as well as giving out new books at TPMS and RTES, student volunteers (Yacouba, Everett, Alejandro, Precious, and Hadrian), and adult volunteers (Mayor Kate Stewart, WWES Principal Daman Harris, Bean Paul, Seth Grimes, Stephen Whitney, Ken Allen, Sarah Stella, Luis Almar, Thomas Jacob, Wei Li, Leandra Nichola, Taylor Dibbert, Aurelie Bush , Kevin Buchanan, Yajaira Garay, Enrique Garay, Erin Malia, Wendy Kent, Kia Robinson, Tyrone Robinson, Margaret Sutton, Doug Disrud, Jeff Diamant, and John Anderson) for their tireless dedication and hard work.
We would love to have more help for our food recovery efforts. If you are interested please contact us! www.smallthingsmatter.org

TPSS Co-op Round Up at the Register November 24-December 1

Our friends and partner TPSS Co-op are hosting a Register Round Up from November 24 – December 1 to benefit STM’s Kokua Foods Program. Please consider rounding up to help feed those in need. Our Kokua Foods Program serves 300 families in Takoma Park and Rockville. If you would like to volunteer with us please contact us.