Friday, January 17, 2025
The New York Islanders collaborated with local charities and the office of Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages to hand out 200 Thanksgiving meals to Long Island families in need at UBS Arena on the evening of Nov. 26. The event was supported by the Islanders’ Children’s Foundation and UBS.
Solages, who represents the 22nd Assembly District, said her role is to refer people in need to such services. Her office, she said, does case work to help constituents who face financial hardship.
“We interact with many families and communities that are, unfortunately, in a bad situation,” Solages said.
Ann Rina, the Islanders’ executive director of community relations, said her role is to partner with agencies such as Island Harvest and Long Island Cares to help her find families in need. Long Island is an expensive place to live, she said, and when food prices go up, people in all kinds of circumstances can become food insecure.
“We’re just looking to help as many families as we can,” Rina said.
Elba Obregon, the associate director of brand activation, sponsorship and events at UBS, said her team is involved in the Elmont community through events and partnerships with schools and charities. That’s how they identify the need for events like this one, Obregon said.
“Obviously, this is their community,” she said. “We want them to feel like they belong here, and that they’re welcomed.”
Katrina Hill, Long Island Cares’ vice president of network relations, helps organize the charity’s participation in the event. The Islanders reach out to the organization every year, Hill said, about the Thanksgiving effort.
Long Island Cares, she explained, has a network of member agencies, such as soup kitchens and food pantries, that work with the Islanders to get their clients and members involved. “We are out in the community,” Hill said. “We partner with as many organizations as we can to make sure our families are getting the food that they need.”
Hill also said that Long Island Cares works closely with the New York State Department of Health and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to secure additional funding.
“Any community resources we can get, we’re out advocating for,” she said.
Solages, Rina, Obregon and Hill all said they had noticed an increase in food insecurity on Long Island over the past few years. That’s why, they said, their organizations need to be active in the community.
“Everybody comes from different walks of life, different circumstances that have impacted their abilities to put a meal together,” Rina said. “Especially around the holidays.”
Solages agreed, and pointed out that Thanksgiving can be a major expense for a family. But, she said, this event provides an entire meal large enough to feed a family, giving them one fewer thing to worry about as they gather for the holiday.
“We’re only as strong as our community,” Rina said, “and our community gains strength through food.”
Obregon agreed, and reiterated that UBS and the Islanders are here for these families. “Let’s continue letting the community know that an event like this exists and is available during the holiday season,” she said. “We would love to support more families in the area.”
The more these organizations and charities spread the word, Hill said, the greater an impact the Islanders can make.
Events like these, Solages said, bring dignity to Long Islanders. “It’s hard to ask for help in this world,” she said. “To have a loving environment that you can come to and get assistance is nice. A lot of these people are in the shadows, suffering in silence, and we’re here as a community, telling them they don’t have to.”
For more information about the event and the Islanders’ Children’s Foundation, visit NHL.com/Islanders.
