Dee Snider's Long Island Cares Commercial Hits Broadcasts: WATCH

HAUPPAUGE, NY — Dee Snider's commercial for Long Island Cares is now broadcasting. The 60-second spot is airing on cable Monday through Aug. 20.

The Twisted Sister lead singer teamed up with the Hauppauge-based food bank to spread awareness of food insecurity on Long Island. Snider was born in Astoria, Queens, but raised on Long Island in Freeport and Baldwin.

The commercial starts with Snider introducing himself and saying he has an important message to share.

"Did you know that right here on our beautiful island, there are families struggling with putting food on the table? But there's hope and you can be a part of it," Snider said.

With people's help, Snider said, "We can ensure no one goes to bed hungry." Contributions, big or small, he said, can make a difference.

"So let's band together, Long Island," the singer said. "Donate, volunteer, spread the word, do whatever you have to. Let's fight hunger and build a stronger community."

Paule Pachter, CEO of Long Island Cares, said the organization is "so grateful" to Snider for his continued support.

The commercial ends with telling people they can get involved by calling 631-582-FOOD or visiting the Long Island Cares website.

The commercial is set to air in the following Long Island cable zones:

• Altice: Hauppauge, Brookhaven, Riverhead, North Nassau, South Nassau, Babylon, Huntington.
• News 12 Long Island
• Verizon – Nassau County and Suffolk County

Snider filmed the commercial for LI Cares at the end of June.

"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 previously 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."

In 2022, there was an "alarming" year-over-year increase in hunger and food insecurity on Long Island, Dr. Jessica Rosati, vice president of programs at Long Island Cares, previously told Patch.

Last year, Long Island Cares distributed 1,041,765 meals to 115,699 visitors, some of whom were repeats, at its five satellites across the island. In 2021, those numbers were 647,844 meals given to 73,896 visitors. The food bank handed out 60 percent more meals last year than in 2021.

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.