PSEG food drive sets up at Oceanside's Sands Shopping Center

Oceanside residents had a chance to lend a helping hand in the battle against food insecurity on Long Island when the Power to Feed Long Island food drive made its seventh stop of the summer at the Oceanside Stop & Shop last Friday.

Power to Feed, a food drive initiative by PSEG Long Island and Island Harvest, partners with Island Harvest and PSEG Long Island. PSEG provides venues for residents to donate food and other necessities to their neighbors in need.

“I came down to support the cause, and I’m happy that it turned out good,” Joe Ponte, a member of the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce board of directors, said. “We need more people giving and caring.”

Oceanside’s D’Cocco’s Pizzeria supplied volunteers with pizza as they collected outside the supermarket in the Sands Shopping Center. Food collection bins and a drive-through option were set up in the parking lot and in front of the store, where people could donate nonperishable items and household essentials. Shoppers received reusable shopping bags as a thank-you for their donations.

The event aimed to combat the growing problem of food insecurity in the area. About 20 volunteers were on hand for the food drive.

“It’s been in my fabric for many, many years,” Marty Gately, a volunteer with PSEG Long Island, said. “This is probably my fourth year doing this. You realize that it really hits home that there are people here that need food. Food and medicine are such a necessity that you kind of take them for granted, and then you see, right here, the faces of people who need them. The most endearing thing is seeing that people aren’t too embarrassed to come and ask for help.”

The drive welcomes non-perishable items such as pasta, sauces, cereals, and personal-care products like shampoo. Residents have donated not only food, but money.

Power to Feed was created four years to partner with Island Harvest. Each summer, PSEG runs a campaign encouraging people to donate food, which helps replenish Long Island food banks. Over the past four years, the initiative has raised enough food to provide over 100,000 meals.

Long Island is often associated with affluence, but is also home to many who struggle to make ends meet. “So many people on Long Island struggle with food insecurity,” said Mark Gross, a representative of PSEG Long Island. “It’s a great way for us to do something meaningful for the community.”

Island Harvest collaborates with PSEG Long Island on other initiatives as well, including emergency response. Island Harvest’s food collective coordinator, Bena Halloran, who has been with the organization for three years, discussed the increasing demand for food assistance.

“Demand is at an all-time high — even higher than it was during Covid,” Halloran said. “With the cost of groceries, gas and utilities skyrocketing, people are having a tough time. Unfortunately, many companies are downsizing. People are losing jobs, or not fully employed.”

“There are so many ways to support us,” she added. “People can volunteer, donate money — $1 buys two meals — or donate food. Just getting involved in the community. Look for events where we distribute food, come out and support them. It makes a huge difference.”

As the Power to Feed summer food drives nears its conclusion, with one more event scheduled in West Babylon next month, the efforts of volunteers continue to make a significant impact on Long Island communities. And the initiative not only addresses the immediate needs of those facing food insecurity, but also inspires many of the volunteers.

Among those who took part in Oceanside was Justin Oquendo, an eighth-grade Patchogue resident who, after initially volunteering to fulfill a community service requirement for his confirmation, found himself drawn to the cause. His mother, April Oquendo, expressed her pride.

“He needed to do it originally for confirmation community service, and then he got the hours, but he wanted to do more,” she said. “I’m a proud mommy. It’s so great to see him wanting to help out.”