LONG ISLAND COMMUNITY FOUNDATION AWARDS GRANT TO LONG ISLAND CARES TO SUPPORT NASSAU SERVICE CENTER IN FREEPORT

Long Island Cares, Inc. has announced that it has been awarded a $20,000 grant by the Long Island Community Foundation to support the regional food bank’s Freeport satellite location. The Nassau Service Center at 84 Pine Street in Freeport was Long Island Cares’ first hunger assistance center opened in 2010.  The organization has expanded their innovative model by opening two additional satellite programs in Lindenhurst and Huntington Station.
“Nearly 700 people are assisted at the Nassau Service Center each month,” said Jessica Rosati, Chief Program Officer for Long Island Cares. The organization operates an emergency triage food pantry that provides local residents in need with more than 70,000 meals annually.  In addition, local students, through our Student Volunteer Corp, can arrange to volunteer at the center or at other local food pantries to better understand hunger and the issues stemming from poverty.  198 veterans are registered at our Nassau Service Center in Freeport, allowing them to visit every Tuesday during “Military Appreciation Tuesday” to select food, personal care products, household supplies and pet food to support their families.  Member agencies that are part of the Long Island Cares network attend training sessions on food safety, nutrition and food handling in the center’s training room, while representatives of Literacy Nassau, United Healthcare, and the Health and Welfare Council of Long Island visit weekly to assist people in need with applications for various entitlement programs.  According to Rosati, “Our satellite locations allow us to work closely with local communities in need of humanitarian support.  All three of our satellites welcome other organizations and programs to join us onsite to provide an accessible, one-stop location to reach people who have limited resources but are in need of a broad array of services.”
“The Long Island Community Foundation has been a great partner with Long Island Cares — The Harry Chapin Food Bank in meeting the needs of Long Islanders struggling with domestic hunger and high food insecurity,” said Paule Pachter, CEO of the regional food bank. “The foundation was one of the first funding sources to recognize our involvement in the Village of Freeport and they consistently meet with our staff to evaluate the outcomes we’re able to achieve through our satellite model.  Like Long Island Cares, they’ve become part of the solution to hunger in suburbia.”
In addition to the Long Island Community Foundation, Long Island Cares’ Nassau Service Center is also supported by the Village of Freeport Community Development Program, New York State Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program, the local business community and individual donors. The center is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM, and until 5:00 PM on Tuesday and Thursday.  For more information about the Nassau Service Center call (516) 442-5221.  To volunteer, support or donate to Long Island Cares, call (631) 582-FOOD or visit licares.org.  For media inquiries, please contact Long Island Cares’ Chief Development Officer Robin S. Amato at 631-582-FOOD ext. 103.