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Kiwanis provides a record 115 families food for Thanksgiving
Check back early next week for a video on a weekend of giving in East Meadow.
Last Thanksgiving, East Meadow’s Kiwanians delivered food baskets to just under 100 families. This year, that number jumped to 115 — a record.
Despite that increase, President Jim Mancuso noted that members are always ready for a challenge. “It’s definitely harder than in past years, and the need is greater,” said Mancuso. “Last year, if a person gave a bag, now it may be a few cans or a can … but you know what? You find a way to make it work.”
And work they did. Several volunteers spent the past two weekends in front of the East Meadow Waldbaums, collecting items from shoppers. They gathered the typical Thanksgiving fare: stuffing, cranberry sauce, potatoes. Donations of everyday foods like cereal, pasta and rice were also welcomed. “This way they have staples throughout the whole week,” said Liz Fries, a past president of Kiwanis.
Most of the food was stored in the garage of Mitchell Allen, the organization’s 2nd vice president. North Shore Fitness in East Meadow also held its own food drive, and made a major contribution to the holiday basket effort.
Jay Steinmetz, who coordinates the food drive, and about a dozen men loaded boxes of donations into his truck on Nov. 20. Despite what was said to be a slight decline in food donations, the truck was weighed down as Steinmetz drove to Clarke High School. He estimated that he transported nearly 10,000 pounds of food that evening.
“I think we far exceeded our expectations due to the economy and the situation as it is today,” Steinmetz said. “It was a real team effort. This is what it’s all about.”
Though the community plays a critical philanthropic role in the project, East Meadow’s Kiwanians do the heavy lifting. After Steinmetz dropped off the donated food at the high school, he picked up pre-ordered items still needed to complete the project. Upon their delivery to the high school, a contingent of Kiwanians, members of the high school Key Club and middle school Builders Club, and Bowling Green’s K-Kids pitched in to assemble the bundles of food.
