Thursday, October 1, 2026
The Freeport-Merrick Rotary Club’s annual effort to support Long Island Cares at Thanksgiving returned last week with renewed urgency, as Rotarians delivered roughly $1,500 worth of groceries to the hunger-relief organization’s Freeport pantry at a time when food insecurity has surged across Nassau County.
The project, now a yearly tradition for the club, culminated last Friday afternoon, when Rotarians gathered at the Costco in Westbury for a coordinated shopping run led by club Secretary Kerry Esmay.
Though this was her first year heading the operation, Esmay organized the logistics with precision: six members arrived at noon, collected shopping carts and began loading them with turkeys, stuffing, baking supplies, canned items and other holiday staples specifically requested by Long Island Cares.
The effort was structured to ensure that the food would be both fresh and immediately useful. After filling their carts, the Rotarians wheeled the items out to their vehicles, packed their trunks and backseats, and caravanned to Long Island Cares’ Freeport location, where staff and volunteers awaited the delivery.
The timing was intentional: Long Island Cares needed room to sort the goods and prepare for one of the busiest distribution periods of the year.
“We’re excited to be able to donate to Long Island Cares at a time where food prices keep increasing,” Esmay said. “It’s getting harder and harder for folks to (afford) basic goods.”
She noted that the project is supported by a mix of club fundraising and a Rotary district grant.
While the final breakdown is still being confirmed, the district grant, she said, totaled $915, and the remainder was generated by the club’s own charitable efforts.
Esmay emphasized that the project reflects a commitment among members to get involved when community needs rise. “It’s important to be a part of that community,” she said, “and step in and help when you have the ability and resources to do so.”
For Esmay, the effort also comes with an awareness of the pressures facing families in need — rising food prices, the instability of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits and the effects of economic strain across the region. Even with the demands of work and family life, she said, she tries to dedicate at least a portion of her week to community service, and sees this project as an essential expression of Rotary’s values.
The timing proved especially critical for Long Island Cares’ Freeport facility, which has seen heavy demand in recent weeks. Site manager Reyna Felix described a pantry operating at full tilt, with shelves restocked in the morning and nearly emptied by the afternoon.
Families that had not needed assistance since 2020 and 2021, during the pandemic, have been returning, driven by benefit cuts, the higher cost of living and the challenges of preparing for the holidays.
Felix said that conditions were particularly strained earlier this month. She recalled that the pantry had been “suffering because SNAP stopped serving, the government shut down, plus (there) wasn’t a lot of food around,” leaving the staff to stretch whatever limited inventory they could secure.
Despite that, Long Island Cares stayed open, and continued to serve every family that came in.
The Rotary’s holiday donation, she said, came at a moment when the pantry was stabilizing after weeks of uncertainty.
Last year, the Rotary contributed about $1,000 worth of food. This year the club increased its support, something Felix said made a noticeable difference in the pantry’s ability to prepare for Thanksgiving distribution.
She noted that the larger community has also played an important role, with private groups and families donating food throughout the week. Felix said she was moved by the number of households that made the effort to help their neighbors.
The pantry’s holiday operations are extensive. This week Long Island Cares distributed turkeys, chicken, pork loins, hams and a full array of Thanksgiving dishes to families from Freeport and surrounding communities.
For Felix, the work is emotionally grounding. The focus, she said, is always on ensuring that every family sitting around a table on the holiday has what they need to celebrate with dignity. “I want to … make sure every single one that comes here have all they will need for the Thanksgiving dinner,” she said.
The Rotary’s contribution, she added, is one of many examples of what can happen when a community works in unison, with civic groups, elected officials, private organizations and individual residents all playing a role in supporting a food pantry that has become a lifeline for hundreds of local families.
