Donate to Long Island Cares and help feed your neighbors in need. Contribute what you can, all donations are welcome
Who We Are
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.
News & Stories
Get to Know Us
News
Get the latest updates from Long Island Cares on our events, activities in the community, and many others.
Home » Our Programs »
Kids Food Programs
Nourishing Long Island's Children
No child should have to worry about where their next meal will come from. At Long Island Cares, our children's programs help ensure young people have consistent access to nutritious food throughout the year. From after-school meals and weekend food assistance to summer feeding and emergency support, we're working to help every child grow, learn, and thrive without hunger standing in the way.
Nutrition Programs
Pack It Up For Kids
Weekend Meals for Kids in NeedTo address the critical lack of resources for children when school is not in session, we developed the Pack It Up for Kids program. Long Island Cares partners with schools and community organizations to distribute backpacks filled with six weekend meals to children identified as at-risk by their School Social Worker or by Income Eligibility information.
Program Highlights
- Designed for children on Long Island who rely on free or reduced-price school meals.
- Provides nonperishable, easy-to-prepare, and nutritious food to supplement weekend food resources.
- Discreetly distributes packs to each child containing enough food for six meals and two snacks.
- Packs include individual containers of juice, fruits, vegetables, shelf-stable milk, tuna, soups, and small microwaveable items.
For more information about our Pack It Up for Kids program, please contact Samantha Somers at 631-582-3663 ext. 123 or email [email protected] Together, we can make a difference in the lives of children facing food insecurity.
Kids Cafe
Keeping Kids Fed After the School Day EndsLong Island Cares recognizes the challenges faced by children experiencing hunger, particularly when they return home after school to limited access to food and inadequate space for homework and play. In response, we introduced the Kid's Cafe program in partnerhsip with Feeding america, which gives children a safe space to complete homework and enjoy a meal.
Program Highlights
- Free nutritious meals to children in need
- Safe, supervised environments where children can complete their homework and engage in educational, recreational, and social activities
- Nutrition Education
- Kidz Korner Newsletter, a publication featuring age-appropriate nutritional information and submissions from Kids’ Cafe participants
To learn more about the program, please contact Samantha Somers at 631-582-3663 ext. 123 or email [email protected]
Summer Food Service Program
Hunger Doesn’t Take a Summer BreakDuring the summer months, vital resources such as free school breakfast and lunch disappears, leaving children uncertain about their next meal. Our Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) fills that gap by providing breakfast and lunch throughout the summer at both camps and open-sites.
That’s where Long Island Cares steps in with the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). A program dedicated to providing nutritious breakfast and lunch throughout the summer at both camps and open sites to help ensure that low-income children continue to receive meals when school is out of session.
Outreach Programs
Aspara’Gus’ Breakfast Food Truck
Our unique mobile food truck is designed to address childhood hunger on Long Island by providing free, nutritious breakfast foods to children and families in need. The Aspara’Gus’ Breakfast Food Truck travels throughout Nassau and Suffolk Counties, ensuring that Long Islanders have access to healthy meals even when other food sources are unavailable.
Mobile School Pantry
The Mobile School Pantry program helps address childhood hunger by bringing fresh, nutritious groceries directly to families in the Brentwood School District each month. Through regular distributions of fresh produce and healthy pantry staples, the program provides a reliable source of food while making it easier for families to access the nourishment they need.