Island Harvest Food Bank Partners with Nassau & Suffolk PBA's, NYCB at seven locations across L.I. for holiday turkey & food drive —

LONG ISLAND, NY — November 9, 2019 — To help Long Island's veterans and families of active-duty military personnel who are struggling to put food on their tables, New York Community Bank (NYCB), and the police benevolent associations (PBA) in Nassau and Suffolk counties have teamed up with Island Harvest Food Bank have teamed up for a Veterans Day Holiday Turkey & Food Collection Drive at seven locations across Long Island. Among the items needed are frozen turkeys, non-perishable food items (except products in glass containers), and supermarket gift cards. Monetary donations are also welcome. Proceeds will benefit Island Harvest Food Bank's Operation: HOPE program, which provides supplemental food and support services to local veterans and military families in Nassau and Suffolk counties.

"Veterans of the United States armed services often face financial hardship and have problems finding jobs; some even find themselves wondering where their next meals will come from," said Randi Shubin Dresner, president and CEO, Island Harvest Food Bank. "Families of service members currently deployed are often confronted with similar challenges due to Long Island's high cost of living." NYCB and the Nassau and Suffolk PBA's Holiday Turkey & Food Drive will provide hope and holiday-style meals to veterans and military families in need."

The Veterans Day food drives are on Monday, November 11, 2019, at the following Long Island locations:

NYCB Veterans Day Food Drive

Stop & Shop
130 Wheatley Plaza, Greenvale
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Nassau County PBA Food Drives

Stop & Shop
702 Hicksville Rd., Massapequa
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Stop & Shop
2450 Jerusalem Ave., North Bellmore
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Stop & Shop
465 Atlantic Ave., Oceanside
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Suffolk County PBA Food Drives

Stop & Shop
421 Commack Rd., Deer Park
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Stop & Shop
454 Fort Salonga Rd., Northport
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

ShopRite
1 Garet Pl., Commack
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

About Hunger and Food Insecurity on Long Island
Food insecurity is a state in which people do not get enough food consistently to provide nutrients for active and healthy lives. It can result from the recurrent lack of access to food. More than 300,000 Long Islanders face the risk of hunger every day, according to Island Harvest Food Bank and Feeding America®, a national hunger-relief organization. People facing hunger include adults (often working two jobs), children, senior citizens, and veterans. Unable to make ends meet, they (and their children) are often forced to go without food. Approximately 70,000 individuals seek food assistance in Nassau and Suffolk counties each week through soup kitchens, food pantries and other feeding programs served by Island Harvest Food Bank.

About Island Harvest Food Bank
Island Harvest Food Bank is a leading hunger-relief organization that provides food and other resources to people in need. Always treating those we help with dignity and respect, our mission is "to end hunger and reduce food waste on Long Island" through efficient food collection and distribution; enhanced hunger-awareness and nutrition-education programs; job training; and direct services targeted at children, senior citizens, veterans, and others at risk of food insecurity. As a result of Island Harvest Food Bank's dynamic business model, more than 94% of expended resources go directly to programs and services that support more than 300,000 Long Islanders facing hunger. Island Harvest Food Bank is a lead agency in the region's emergency response preparedness for food and product distribution and is a member of Feeding America®, the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief charity. For five consecutive years, Island Harvest Food Bank has earned a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, an independent nonprofit watchdog organization. Island Harvest Food Bank is among just 9% of the nonprofits rated by Charity Navigator to merit the four-star designation. More information about our programs and services, and how you can help is at www.islandharvest.org.