Dee Snider Films Commercial For 'Amazing' Long Island Cares

HAUPPAUGE, NY — Hunger? Long Island Cares is not gonna take it anymore.

The Hauppauge-based food bank brought in Dee Snider, lead singer of Twisted Sister, to film a commercial on Monday. Snider, a former Long Island resident, has supported the non-profit for a decade. The musician was visiting from California to promote his novel, "Frats," but did not hesitate when Long Island Cares asked him to lend his presence.

Snider, upon getting the call, said he knew Long Island Cares was bringing him in to spread an important message.

The commercial will see Snider issue a call-to-action about raising awareness for food insecurity and hunger, said Paule Pachter, CEO of Long Island Cares. The food bank was founded by Harry Chapin and has a history rooted deep in music.

"We’re honored to have Dee involved in our work, and we have been working with him since 2013, when he reached out to us to get involved in relief efforts related to Hurricane Sandy," Pachter said.

Snider had been aware of Long Island Cares but didn't know how much of a "machine" it was until he visited the main location in Hauppauge years ago.

"It's amazing, from Harry Chapin's concept so many years ago that started as a small thing, and now it's grown into such a huge thing," Snider told Patch.

The USDA identifies 220,000 Long Islanders — including 65,000 children — as being food insecure. Among that number, 74 percent of that population are people of color, while 52 percent of the people using the emergency food network on Long Island are from Latin countries, Pachter said. And 24 percent of Long Islanders are people working two or three jobs to support their families, he added

Snider called the statistics "mind-numbing" and "game changing."

"You would think we're pretty affluent on Long Island overall," he said. "You'd like to think the suburbs are fine and it's the inner-city where people need help putting food on the table."

Snider wanted to support a cause with "immediate results" where Long Islanders were being helped, noting the statistics.

"That's not abstract," he said. "That means somebody on your block — I don't care where you live — somebody in your neighborhood is struggling and needs help. I've spent time down here at LI Cares at the food bank. I've seen people coming. I've been to other food banks on Long Island. It's not what you think. People imagine it's homeless people or indigent people coming in. No. It's regular people. It's families. Just like you or me. You think, 'Oh, these are really destitute people.' No. When you go to the food bank and see who's coming in for help, you realize, wow, you've got to feel blessed that you're not in that situation. It's not easy taking care of families. It's not easy putting food on the table. Sometimes, people need a little help. LI Cares, thanks to the brilliant vision of Harry Chapin, they're there doing it for our people right here on Long Island."

Snider has also raised funds for March of Dimes, a national organization that works to improve the health of mothers and babies. Snider said his own family has benefitted from March of Dimes in the past.

Patch has partnered with Feeding America since 2020 to help raise awareness in our local communities of hunger, a persistent national problem exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Feeding America, which supports 200 food banks and 60,000 local meals programs across the country, estimates that nearly 34 million people, including 9 million children — about 1 in 6 Americans — are living with food insecurity. This is a Patch social good project; Feeding America receives 100 percent of donations. Find out how you can donate in your community or find a food pantry near you.