How to help Long Island SNAP recipients as benefits delay continues amid government shutdown
Long Island's two regional food banks and pantries are stepping up to help residents who are waiting for their U.S. assistance benefits to resume amid the federal government shutdown — now the longest on record.
About 42 million Americans rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, including 3 million New Yorkers and 160,000 Long Islanders.
Two federal judges ruled the Trump administration must resume SNAP payments using contingency funds, and White House officials said they would partially fund the program.
Other organizations are stepping up too. One Fair Wage, a Manhattan-based national organization of nearly 300,000 service workers and more than 1,000 restaurant workers that seeks to raise their wages, announced this week it was launching the Service Workers SNAP Emergency Fund, providing cash assistance to restaurant and service workers affected by SNAP benefit reductions. To apply, go to ofwemergencyfund.org.
Long Islanders can help in other ways as well.
Donate to food banks
The websites of the two regional food banks — Island Harvest, based in Melville, and Long Island Cares — The Harry Chapin Food Bank, based in Hauppauge, show how people can donate, volunteer and orchestrate their own food drives.
Island Harvest's website — islandharvest.org — promotes its Thanksgiving Turkey & Trimmings Collection Campaign. It has locators for turkey drop-off locations. It also notes people can "sponsor family meals for $35," hold a food drive themselves, or contribute to the FourLeaf Turkey Drive in Bethpage on Nov. 21.
Long Island Cares, on its website licares.org, cites several donation programs. It noted: "Government cuts are slashing food assistance while demand rises 30%. 313,880 Long Islanders, including 71,500 children, need help. We are their safety net."
Both food banks have a food pantry locator on their respective websites. Both food banks provide meats, produce and shelf-stable food items to the hundreds of food pantries, many of which conduct their own food collection drives.
Volunteers welcome
People can also volunteer at both food banks. Island Harvest, on its website, reports, "We rely on 60,000 hours of annual service from volunteers to support our mission to end hunger and reduce food waste on Long Island." To volunteer, contact Tracey Griffin at Tracey@IslandHarvest.org or call 631-873-4775, ext. 208.
Long Island cares provides information on how to volunteer on its website. Those with questions can contact, licvolunteer@licares.org.
Local efforts to help
GoFundMe campaigns have been launched by a few businesses in Suffolk County to help food pantries or residents in need.
Saunders & Associates, a Hamptons real estate firm, announced the kickoff of its 12th annual Thanksgiving Donation Drive "that supports local food banks from Westhampton to Montauk. This year, the firm has set an ambitious goal: $50,000 in monetary donations to be distributed directly to community partners serving year-round families across the East End," Steve Glick, the firm's vice president of advertising and marketing, said in an email to Newsday. He said $15,000 had been raised so far.
"All donations made to the GoFundMe will be matched dollar for dollar by Andrew & Colleen Saunders. Every dollar contributed will go entirely to food pantries in the Hamptons, where the need remains critical," Glick wrote.
Kadasia Sells, owner of Full of Soul, a Bellport-based catering company, is raising money to provide Thanksgiving dinner to needy residents.
"I see a lot of people posting online. I see a lot of people struggling," she told Newsday. "I wanted to give back and help others." She said the GoFundMe hoped to raise $2,800. "It’s going to be pick up or delivery the day before Thanksgiving." She said about 30 families, representing about 100 people, have inquired already about receiving the dinner. For anyone wanting a meal or to volunteer to deliver meals, email "Sells" at fullofsoulll@gmail.com.
'Tis the season for the NewsdayTV Holiday Show! The NewsdayTV team looks at the most wonderful time of the year and the traditions that make it special on LI.
'Tis the season for the NewsdayTV Holiday Show! The NewsdayTV team looks at the most wonderful time of the year and the traditions that make it special on LI.
