Kiwanians collect food for local, needy families

The East Meadow Kiwanis collected about 10,000 pounds of food over the last two weeks that will be donated to 107 families in the East Meadow School District this weekend.

“It was looking very, very slow last weekend,” said holiday food drive chairman Jay Steinmetz, “but this weekend, people just opened up their hearts.” Steinmetz said nearly 80 percent of the shoppers donated food last Saturday and Sunday.

Kiwanians started asking for Thanksgiving dinner donations nearly 20 years ago, said Steinmetz and over the years, the amount of needy families has grown from to more than 100. “It’s not a small project anymore.” More than 60 Kiwanians and 100 kids involved in either Key club, the Builders club or K-Kids banned together over the last two weeks to collect donations.

The Kiwanians are in contact with social workers and local schools, churches and synagogues to determine which families are in need each holiday season.

Kiwanis members will meet again on Friday, Nov. 18 at 6 p.m. at W.T. Clarke High School to divide the food into 107 baskets and will deliver the food this weekend.

For those who would like to donate to the Kiwanian food collection, which will either go toward families for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, drop off non-perishable items at North Shore Fitness, 1940 Hempstead Turnpike, East Meadow.