Here's How To Help 'Stamp Out Hunger' In Your Long Island Town

BRENTWOOD, NY— Nearly 300,000 Long Islanders face food insecurity at some point throughout the year, according to Long Island Cares, a food bank dedicated to feeding the community and "eradicating the root causes of this blight on America."

On Saturday, May 10, LIC is uniting with over 10,000 cities and towns across the U.S. for the annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive, where local mail carriers will pick up donated food and personal items from residents' mailboxes in partnership with the National Association of Letter Carriers.

To participate, residents may place healthy, non-perishable, non-expired food donations and personal hygiene items by their mailbox for collection during regularly scheduled mail delivery.

All food collected locally benefits Island Harvest Food Bank and its network of community-based food pantries, soup kitchens and other feeding programs that sort the food and deliver it to organizations that help people who are food insecure.

According to Island Harvest, foods ideal for donating include canned goods, cereal, pasta, rice, boxed juices, and shelf-stable milk. They ask that food in glass containers not be donated. In addition, personal care items such as toothpaste, soap, shampoo, deodorant and disposable diapers are needed.

According to Island Harvest, the need for supplemental food support is growing. The food bank distributed a record 18.3 million pounds of food in 2024 and expects to distribute 20 million pounds this year.

For anyone who'd prefer to drop off donations at local food pantries, below is a list of food pantries in Bay Shore, Brentwood, Islip and Deer Park.

• St. Anne's Parish Outreach, 88 Second Ave, Brentwood, (631) 339-7470
• First Christian Church of Brentwood, 1818 5th Avenue, Bay Shore, (631) 273-7979
• Hands Across Long Island (HALI), 159 Brightside Avenue, Central Islip, (631) 433-3200
• Pronto of L.I. Inc., 128 Pine Aire Drive, Bay Shore, (631) 231-8290
• Bethany Hospitality, 100 Lemon Street, Central Islip, (631) 521-6036
• Central Islip Civic Council, 68 Wheeler Road, Central Islip, (631) 348-0669
• Hope Community Ministries, 64 Tiber Avenue, Deer Park, (516) 983-9808

Click here for a full list of Long Island food pantries.