Our Mission
Founded by the late Harry Chapin
Long Island Cares – The Harry Chapin Regional Food Bank has been on a mission to feed Long Islanders facing food insecurity and address its root causes since our founding by the late Harry Chapin in 1980.
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News
Get the latest updates from Long Island Cares on our events, activities in the community, and many others.
A Year-Round Food Drive Giving Campaign by Long Island Cares
Gather & Give
Gather & Give is Long Island Cares’ year-round food drive inviting our community to help feed neighbors in need through seasonal food drives and acts of generosity. Every contribution—whether a holiday meal, winter essentials, or summer snacks—helps ensure no table is left empty.
Welcome to
Gather & Give
We’ve reimagined food drives as a year-round movement to fight hunger with intention and heart. Gather & Give offers seasonal, themed donation lists that make it easy to support your neighbors in meaningful ways—any time of year. Whether you’re gathering with a group or giving on your own, every item you collect brings nourishment and hope to someone in need.
Warm Hearts. Fill Plates. Give Hope.
Season of Renewal. Acts of Generosity.
Keep Families Fed This Summer.
New Name. Same Heart. Greater Impact.
Warm Hearts. Fill Plates. Give Hope.
Warm Hearts. Fill Plates. Give Hope.
Join us in nourishing hope this winter.
Through Gather & Give: Nourishing Hope in the New Year, Long Island Cares calls on individuals, families, workplaces, and community groups to help stock pantry shelves and warm hearts during the coldest months. Your support brings comfort, resilience, and nourishment to neighbors in need across Long Island.
Winter Warmth Starts With You – Winter brings greater need across our region. Come back then for a refreshed list of priority items to help keep families nourished, warm, and hopeful through the coldest months.
Season of Renewal. Acts of Generosity.
Season of Renewal. Acts of Generosity.
Join us in spring in helping families grow stronger with the essentials they need.
Long Island Cares’ Gather & Give: A Season of Renewal invites individuals, schools, offices, and community groups to take action against food insecurity. Your support helps families across Long Island thrive as we head into a new season of hope and resilience.
Seasonal Giving, Year-Round Impact – Our themed food drive lists change with the seasons to reflect our clients’ most timely needs. Check back in the spring for a fresh list of high-priority items that help families thrive as the weather warms.
Keep Families Fed This Summer.
Keep Families Fed This Summer.
Join us this summer in helping families facing food insecurity.
Long Island Cares’ Gather & Give: Summer Food Drive brings our community together to ensure no child goes hungry when school is out. Whether you’re giving as an individual or hosting a drive with your company, club, or congregation, your support brings nourishment and hope to tables across Long Island.
Choose the cause that speaks to you. Whether it’s supporting pets, kids, families, or providing everyday essentials with dignity, we’ve made it easy to get started. Select one of the themed lists below
New Name. Same Heart. Greater Impact.
Honoring a Tradition. Expanding the Impact.
For years, Adopt-a-Family brought together thousands of donors and volunteers to help families celebrate the holidays with dignity, comfort, and a full table. That legacy lives on—stronger than ever—through Gather & Give: A Holiday Giving Drive.
This expanded initiative builds on the heart of Adopt-a-Family, making it possible for even more families to receive holiday staples, no matter how they celebrate. From October through December, we’re rallying our community to make this our biggest food drive of the year.
Holiday Focus, Fresh Needs
As the seasons shift and we head into the holidays, our community’s needs begin to grow. Check back in September for an updated list of most-requested items during this time.