Food drive collects Thanksgiving meals

Volunteers gathered at one of the largest food charity events in the tri-state area on Nov. 20 and 21 to fill more than 15,000 bags of non-perishable food items to create Thanksgiving meals for those in need.

Robert Jesberger, owner and president of Mid Island Collision on Lakeview Avenue in Rockville Centre, hosted the Fill-the-Bag event, which returned after a one-year hiatus. He donated more than $200,000 for the cause, purchasing four tractor trailer loads of canned corn, ham, sweet potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, fruit cocktail, string beans, boxed stuffing and mashed potatoes, which is intended to feed more than 130,000 people.

People from Rockville Centre and its surrounding communities joined together to fill grocery bags with the variety of food, which was to be sent out to more than 100 food charities, homeless shelters, church pantries, military veteran organizations and other non-profits throughout Long Island, New York City, New Jersey and Connecticut.