Food donations, distribution up on Long Island, says nonprofit

Food donations on Long Island and distribution of those donations have climbed this year, according to Long Island Cares.

Organization officials said both donations to the Harry Chapin Food Bank and the need for the food typically drop off in June and July. Even with those months factored in, they saw an increase of 22 percent in emergency food distribution — about 225,000 extra pounds of food — for the first seven months of the year. About 1,179,000 pounds were donated in total.

Community and corporate donation drives, plus a donation program at 60 local stores, accounted for all of the collected food, officials said.

Food insecurity impacts 300,000 Long Island residents, organization CEO Paule Pachter said in a statement.

“When people support a commitment toward solving hunger and work closely with organizations like ours . . . it represents our communities and businesses doing its best work to lift people up in a time of need,” Pachter said.