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Island Harvest provides free lunches to children this summer

Organization helps to feed the needy

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Island Harvest expects to serve more than 175,000 lunch meals to 4,000 children this summer through its Summer Food Service Program, administered by the Food and Nutrition Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture through the New York State Department of Education.

Island Harvest has expanded the program this year, increasing the number of sites across Long Island where children can go for the free meals, due to an increase in the number of children who rely on school lunch programs throughout the school year but may not get enough to eat when school is in summer recess.

“Sadly, a good amount of local children who rely on free or reduced-price school lunches do not obtain nutritious meals come summertime,” said Randi Shubin Dresner, president & CEO of Island Harvest. “It’s critical that we inform local residents about the Summer Food Service Program, while emphasizing the need for increased awareness of these vital initiatives.”

The lunches are provided to all children and teens 18 and under, without charge, at designated sites. For more information, call Allison Puglia, vice president of programs and agency relations, at (631) 873-4775, ext. 204, or email allison@islandharvest.org.
The program began on June 29, and the lunches are available at 55 sites across Nassau and Suffolk counties, an increase from 49 sites last year, at which 103,000 meals were served to 3,500 children.

According to Feeding America, the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief organization, 62 percent of client households with children under 18 reported participating in the National School Lunch Program, but only 14 percent reported having a child take part in a summer program that provides free meals.

Since 1992, Island Harvest has grown to become the largest hunger-relief organization in the region, feeding and supporting 316,000 Long Islanders annually. Because it relies on volunteers, in-kind services and donated food, more than 95 cents of every dollar donated to Island Harvest directly benefits its programs and initiatives, according to the organization.

With a mission to end hunger and reduce food waste on Long Island, Island Harvest has pioneered innovative food and product collection and distribution systems; hunger-awareness, nutrition-education and job-training programs; services for targeted populations, and outreach and advocacy initiatives. It is the region’s leading agency in disaster relief and emergency response readiness for food and product distribution, support and services. It is also a member of Feeding America, the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity.