When The Harry Chapin Food Bank first opened its doors in February 1982,  it served a mere handful of agencies in Nassau and Suffolk Counties.  Today, we deliver food to over 600 food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, group homes, day treatment facilities, senior nutrition sites and day care centers in Nassau and Suffolk counties.  These agencies, in turn, distribute the food to their clients and/or provide meals from the food received.

In 2006, The Harry Chapin Food Bank over 5 million pounds of food and household goods.  Long Island Cares is the only contracted organization in our area for the distribution of food from the N.Y. State Department of Health HPNAP (Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program) and the United States Department of Agriculture TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program).

In addition, Long Island Cares is a certified member of America’s Second Harvest, a national network of food banks and food rescue organizations.  Through this membership we have access to donated food from regional and national food donors and share information and ideas with food banks and food rescue organizations throughout the United States.

Locally sponsored food drives provide a major source of donated food throughout the year.  In particular, the National Association of Letter Carrier’s Food Drive (held annually in May) supplies a vital source of canned and dry donations at a time of year when the need is greatest.  While this is our major source of locally donated food by far, we accept donations from local community food drives of all sizes.  Food donors are protected in terms of liability by the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act.

In the administration of government contracts, the Food Bank gains buying leverage that it can use to purchase other food at favorable prices.  These savings are passed along to member agencies in our Purchased Food Program through which they are able to obtain this food from Long Island Cares at wholesale cost plus a small handling fee.  The goal of the Purchased Food Program is to be the lowest-cost supplier of these foods for the benefit of our agencies.