Island Harvest plays a big role in hunger relief in Nassau County

Randi Shubin Dresner, the president and chief executive officer of Island Harvest Food Bank, joined Nassau County officials last week to promote Hunger Action Month — and suggested ways that residents can give back to those facing food insecurity.

Shubin Dresner, who was named the East Meadow Herald’s Person of the Year in 2012 for her efforts in the community, has worked with Island Harvest since 2001.

Island Harvest is a leading hunger-relief organization, with a stout mission to end hunger and reduce food waste on Long Island while handling emergency responses for food and other resources across the region.

The organization directly supports a wide network of community-based nonprofit organizations, as well as individuals, veterans’ families and seniors who are in need of support.

“We are a very prosperous county,” Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said at a Sept. 10 news conference in Mineola, “but we have people in this county who are struggling. We are a county that takes care of those who need a little extra help.”

The county has run programs and held food drives in the past, featuring Long Island stars like Madison Beer, a singer and songwriter from Jericho. The county has also held drives catered around specific holidays, like Thanksgiving, to help those struggling to sit down for a traditional meal.

In addition to Blakeman, county officials who attended the news conference included Elaine Phillips, the county comptroller and a longtime supporter of Island Harvest, Legislator Samantha Goetz, and Anissa Moore, the deputy county executive.

Blakeman declared Sept. 10 “Hunger Action Day” in Nassau County, and provided Shubin Dresner with a citation for the occasion. September is considered Hunger Action Month, and the dome of the Theodore Roosevelt Executive Legislative Building was lit up in orange to signify the county’s commitment to combating food insecurity.

“Island Harvest is grateful for your partnership,” Shubin Dresner told Blakeman at the news conference. “We have received incredible amounts of funding that has ensured that we can provide important food and services to our neighbors all across Nassau County.”

Shubin Dresner said even though Nassau County has some of the wealthiest residents living within its zip codes in the country, Island Harvest helps more than 100,000 neighbors in need. This year, the food bank expects to distribute 10 millions pounds of food in Nassau County alone, as well as foods to its service partners.

“Who are our neighbors in need?” Shubin Dresner said. “Many of the people who are getting food from Island Harvest are working — working sometimes one and two and sometimes three jobs, just to make ends meet.

“Parents who are choosing to eliminate meals for themselves, so that their children can eat three meals a day, and sadly senior citizens who are having to choose between taking medicines or not, so they can save up those medicines and redress some of their funds to buy food for themselves,” she added.

Island Harvest is also dedicated to helping veterans and military families. “It’s hard to believe there are many, many veterans who are struggling with food insecurity,” Shubin Dresner said.

Nassau County residents can help Island Harvest through its food donor program, which helps form partnerships with retailers to cut back on commercial food waste, by donating food and funds at drives and online, and by volunteering with the organization.

“We’re on the side of action,” Shubin Dresner said. “We are providing support, and importantly, we’re providing 10 million pounds of food so we can be sure that our neighbors don’t have to worry about where their next meal comes from.”

For more information about Island Harvest, and how it helps children, families, seniors and veterans, visit IslandHarvest.org.