Vitamin maker's turkey donation king on LI
NBTY executive Michael Oliveri helps unload frozen birds during a turkey drive in Bethpage. The vitamin manufacturer donated 3,000 of the Thanksgiving Day staples to three Island charities. (Nov. 17, 2011) Credit: Kevin P. Coughlin
A group of executives at Ronkonkoma-based vitamin maker NBTY Inc., who head a nonprofit organized to donate to charities, this year are the turkey kings of the Long Island business community.
NBTY Helping Hands Charity, which the top executives started independently of the vitamin maker six years ago, this year donated 3,000 turkeys -- 1,500 to Island Harvest, 1,000 to Long Island Cares, and 500 to 9-1-1 Veterans. According to Island Harvest and Long Island Cares officials, NBTY Helping Hands Charity donated more turkeys than any other group associated with a Long Island-based company.
Jeff Schneider, an NBTY senior vice president who works with NBTY Helping Hands, said the money is raised through a golf tournament held in the summer. In the past, he said, the nonprofit has raised money for other causes, like a mobile blood bank.
"We were amazed at how many people on Long Island go hungry," said Jim Flaherty, also an NBTY senior vice president affiliated with the nonprofit.
NBTY Helping Hands was not alone in giving this year, said Randi Shubin Dresner, chief executive of Mineola-based Island Harvest. But despite the donations from companies, many of them financially strapped in the sluggish economy, Island Harvest still needs another 30,000 turkeys. Dresner said the organization had requests for 40,000 of the birds and received 10,000. Collections will continue through December, Dresner said.
Scott Rosenzweig, owner of Rose Fence Inc. in Freeport, said sales are not what they used to be. But the company donated $5,000 in cash to Island Harvest. "We used to do more," Rosenzweig said. "Our business has been cut in half in the last four years."
Matt Silver, owner of Hicksville-based Ultimate Class Limousine Worldwide, gave Island Harvest more than 100 turkeys. Silver said his business has improved some, but he is holding off purchasing new equipment.
Robin Amato, Hauppauge-based Long Island Cares' director of development, said chickens were a popular item this year as well as turkeys. Mid-Island Collision of Rockville Centre donated 5,000 chickens.
Out East with Doug Geed: Wine harvests, a fish market, baked treats and poinsettias NewsdayTV's Doug Geed visits two wineries and a fish market, and then it's time for holiday cheer, with a visit to a bakery and poinsettia greenhouses.
