Postal carriers are collecting food for hungry Long Islanders

How well do you know your neighbors? Chances are at least one is hungry.

On Long Island, about 58,500 children are food insecure, according to Long Island Cares, among about 2.2 million statewide. Island Harvest estimates the number of food insecure children on Long Island to be 100,000.

You can make a difference, and you can get started on Saturday by participating in the National Association of Letter Carriers 2025 Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive.

Each year, thousands of Long Islanders rely on the generosity of their neighbors to help feed themselves and their families. This year, that need is even more urgent after the federal government announced it would slash about $1 billion in aid to help hunger advocacy groups nationwide. Even before the cuts, food providers nationwide faced dire circumstances. On Long Island, considered a wealthy region by many indicators, a family of two working adults with two children needs to make about $155,000 annually before taxes to be considered self-sufficient, according to the MIT Living Wage Calculator.

Once again, our letter carriers are trying to help. The campaign has collected almost 2 billion pounds of food in 31 years. All you have to do is put nonperishable food out for collection, like you would a letter. This year's date is Saturday, May 10. Leave your donation in a bag near your mailbox to be collected by your letter carrier. Pretty easy. And remarkably beneficial.

Food banks on Long Island, even with generous donations and support from corporations, government and individuals, must scrape and claw to help every needy person. Volunteers schedule food pickups at supermarkets and restaurants, coordinate giving times suitable for hungry people, and scour neighborhoods to find donatable food. The need is great, and hunger never goes away.

In addition to donating food and money, you can help by pressing elected officials to provide more money and expand food donation programs for those in need. For the National Association of Letter Carriers drive, visit nalc.org/community-service/food-drive.

Randi Shubin Dresner, president and chief executive of Island Harvest Food Bank, told the editorial board that this year may be the most difficult because federal cuts will impact the ability of companies to donate. Shubin Dresner said the usual challenges faced by nonprofits will be exacerbated by the trickle-down impact of government cuts. Nonprofits are "one big ecosystem," she said.

There are plenty of other ways to help feed hungry Long Islanders. Search online or visit islandharvest.org or licares.org. Don’t wait until the holiday spirit sets in at year's end. Now is the time to help. Long Island is stronger because of our collective ability to help neighbors.

Imagine looking into the face of a hungry kid and saying, "Not today. Maybe tomorrow."

Please give. Help a hungry child, family, senior or veteran less fortunate than you. Make Long Island better by being part of the solution.