Rallye BMW donations ensure food for the holidays at Nosh food pantry

With high inflation continuing to plague the United States, food pantries and food banks all over the country, including on Long Island, are struggling to help families put dinner on the table this holiday season. Food insecurity, often thought to only affect the homeless or unemployed, has become a hidden epidemic, likely affecting a classmate, family member, or a passerby at the grocery store. Recognizing this desperate need, Rallye Motor Company generously donated $6,500 to Long Island Cares’ general operating fund, and $3,000 in food, as well as $6,000 worth of non-perishable groceries for Nosh, a food pantry located in downtown Glen Cove.

“Somebody I admire very much said, ‘I don’t give until it hurts, I give until it feels good,” Juliana Terian, president, CEO of Rallye Motor Company, said at a press conference. “And it really feels good to be here with you all today.”

The donations come at the conclusion of Rallye commemorating its 65th anniversary of opening its first dealership in Glen Cove. The collection of nonperishables was a collaborative effort with Rallye’s employees and their customers, who were encouraged to donate the food items for two months. Peter Terian established Rallye in 1958 as an imported car service repair garage. Today Rallye holds franchises of Acura, BMW, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz. The company is known for their philanthropy and giving back to the communities that have supported them.

Statewide, the issue of food insecurity affects more than 2.2 million New Yorkers. The crisis is particularly pronounced in Nassau and Suffolk Counties, where approximately 40 percent of food-insecure households are above the poverty level but struggle to meet the high cost of living. Paradoxically, this group finds itself ineligible for vital nutrition assistance programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. A staggering 2.7 percent of Long Islanders, equivalent to approximately 234,000 individuals, are grappling with food insecurity, with an alarming 65,000 of them being children. These distressing figures shed light on the critical need for increased efforts to address hunger and support vulnerable communities on Long Island.

“This food is gonna go so far and help the 550 families we feed weekly,” said Christine Rice, Nosh co-founder and director of the Glen Cove Senior Center. “When you band together to help others, it makes a real difference. Unfortunately, food insecurity is here, and it’s not going anywhere, but as long as it’s here, Nosh will be here to help our families.”

Nosh was founded in March of 2020 to meet the increased need for food assistance created by the Covid-19 pandemic. It is staffed by volunteers who each week deliver free emergency Nosh bags, which include groceries to prepare meals for north shore families in need of food assistance. Long Island businesses, charities, and residents mainly donate the food Nosh distributes.

Founded by the late folk-rock performer Harry Chapin, a Huntington native and a Grammy Hall of Fame member, Long Island Cares acted swiftly as the pandemic spread, driven by its ethical responsibility to assist those in need. The organization is one of almost 200 food banks across the U.S. that provides food to people impacted by hunger and food insecurity. It distributes more than 10 million pounds of food and supplies annually to nearly 400 member agencies in Nassau and Suffolk Counties.

Paule Patcher, president and CEO of Long Island Cares, noted that 52 percent of those who use food pantries and soup kitchens on Long Island identify as Hispanic. According to July 2022 Census data, about 30 percent of Glen Cove also identifies as Hispanic.

“Not only do we have to make sure that we provide core products for people in need, but also pay attention and understand the cultural preferences that people need, even though they’re food insecure,” Patcher said. “You got to make sure that you have enough food and the right kind of food to go around.”