Our deepest thanks to Stephany Yu/ Yuan foundation and Jhennie Libongco-Barbour/ Continuum Healthcare Network for celebrating national minority health month with a community conversation featuring Elizabeth Chung/ Asian American Center of Frederick, Mark Martin/ Maryland Department of Health, Delegate Harry Bhandari, Delegate Karen Simpson, Senator Clarence Lam, Dr. Dawei Yang/ AACF, Dr. Suresh Gupta/ Holy Cross Hospital, Dr. Kihn Maung, Asha Clark/ Jubilee Association of Maryland, Dr. Delvin Jackson/ University of Maryland, Dr. Christine Handy/ Montgomery County Public Schools. It was a very informative gathering! We are grateful for the kind recognition of our food work and COVID vaccinations by the Maryland Legislative AAPI Caucus. AAPI Heritage Month: Recognition of Outstanding Community Members – Harry Bhandari

Congratulations to Lana Anderson for receiving a gold level President’s Volunteer Service Award and a citation from Governor Wes Moore! Congratulations also to all the other recipients whose volunteerism was celebrated tonight! Our thanks to the wonderful chairpersons Karina Hou and Dr. Surinder Gill for putting together such an inspirational evening.

We had a wonderful time celebrating Earth Day at the TPSS Co-op! Teen members Cameron, Nikki, and Abby enjoyed sharing about our food rescue program and composting and had fun assisting the kids with their dirt cups! Thanks to Mike Houston & Chloe Thompson/ TPSS Co-op, Saydam Properties Group at Keller Williams Capital Properties for sponsoring face painting by Body Art by Hanna, Delegate Lorig Charkoudian, Takoma Park Mayor Talisha Searcy, FullFillery, Meals on Wheels of Takoma Park, Takoma Climate Coffee, Tommy’s Pantry, Friends of Native Trees, Koiner Farm Conservancy, Green Party of Montgomery County, Crossroads Community Food Network, Community FarmShare, Citizens Climate Lobby, Montgomery County Food Council, Fillaree, UMD Insect Zoo!

STM received the sweetest surprise on April Fool’s Day–Imperfect Foods is now donating to us 2x/week and that’s no joke! They provide us with fresh produce including strawberries, grapes, potatoes, sweet potatoes, apples and eggs! Our deepest thanks to them for their commitment to serving our community!

Our deepest thanks to Starbucks at Westside Shady Grove, Falls Grove, Watkins Mill, Montgomery Village, Clarksburg, Downtown Crown, and Germantown Center for hosting a nonperishable food drive for us! Thank you for your kind commitment to serving those in need!

We had a great time at Piney Branch ES STEAM Night making brain helmets and learning about the parts of the brain and their functions! The students made 50 helmets! It was a fantastic evenjng with 20+ hands on science activities that included examining a sheep brain as well as demonstrations by Montgomery Blair High School Robotics team! Our thanks to Soosan Faulk for organizing such a wonderful event and Patrick Serra for all his hands on support!

Great school-wide distribution of 800 brand new books and bookmarks today at Title I School Rolling Terrace ES! Our deepest thanks to Library Media Specialist Gregory D’Addario, Principal Jessica Palladio, Georgetown Hill Elementary School for hosting a book drive, Alternative Gifts of Greater Washington donors for their generous contributions, and our community, and STM team: Chris, Mary, Jessie, Chris, and Barry!

Our thanks to Jhenileen Libongco-Barbour Continuum Healthcare Network, Elizabeth Chung Asian American Center of Frederick, Maryland Department of Health for their kind recognition of our work in the community at the Honoring Women Gala tonight! We greatly enjoyed the inspirational speeches by Councilmember Gabe Albornoz, Councilmember Kate Stewart, Takoma Park Mayor Talisha Searcy, Delegate Harry Bhandari and the Govenor’s citation for Continuum presented by Christina Poy GOCI!

The Takoma Park Blue Bins Community Pantry hosted by SatJiwan SJ Ikle-Khalsa and Mimi Ikle-Khalsa were recently upgraded, funded by a county grant made to Small Things Matter! The upgrades included 2 new refrigerators, coolers, and a shed. Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich, Delegate Lorig Charkoudian, Takoma Park Mayor Talisha Searcy, Jamie Iwugo/Grey Bins and Kirsten Slade/Black bins, STM members: Thomas Showalter and family Diane Marie, Ian, and Ian Arthur Gray were among those in attendance of this mini-reopening.

Our deepest thanks to Starbucks employee Rob Grimes for his generous donation of 56,117 Stars worth over $1600 which he used to purchase 400 breakfast sandwiches for our families. Thanks also to District Manager Eric Yeboah, Store Manager Starbucks Westside Shady Grove Store #49693 Naz Movagher, Council Member Kate Stewart, and Hampshire Tower Apartment site coordinator Doris Duarte for coming out to celebrate his amazing donation! Read all about it here in The Patch: https://patch.com/maryland/silverspring/starbucks-employees-donation-helps-buy-400-sandwiches-charity