Island Harvest, Red Cross help during hurricane

Island Harvest and the Red Cross partner to supply shelters with food during hurricane

Island Harvest, Long Island’s largest hunger relief organization, today began supplying the American Red Cross with 7,000 pounds of nonperishable food products destined for emergency storm shelters in Nassau County. Among the products to be delivered include baby formula, juice, water and other shelf-stable products. Island Harvest also expects to see an increased demand in food products from its network of agencies once the storm has subsided.

Today’s effort is part of an emergency preparedness protocol in cooperation with the Red Cross and the Long Island Voluntary Organization Active in Disaster (LIVOAD), a consortium of nonprofit agencies which coordinates responses to disasters among member organizations.

Island Harvest will also be assisting in relief efforts in response to Hurricane Sandy through Feeding America, the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity. Feeding America will be redirecting food products to help stock Island Harvest’s network of nearly 570 soup kitchens, food pantries and other emergency feeding programs, post storm. Island Harvest is seeking donations of funds and nonperishable food items, such as canned goods, rice, pasta, shelf-stable juice and baby formula. Personal care items are also needed. For more information on how to contribute, call Island Harvest at 516-294-8528 or visit www.islandharvest.org.