Long Island Cares Receives Support From Corporations For National Hunger Action Month

HAUPPAUGE, NY — Corporate volunteers and donors are helping Long Island Cares fight hunger and food insecurity on Long Island for National Hunger Action Month this September, the food bank announced.

Bombas donated 10,000 pairs of socks to Long Island Cares last week, spokesman Peter Crescenti said. Other companies that are aiding Long Island Cares this month include:

• CIRCOR
• Kimco Realty
• AARP (Brookhaven)
• AARP (Huntington)
• BAE Systems
• EverBank
• Novo Nordisk
• Whole Foods [Huntington Station]
• USI Retirement

The support of corporations means "so much" to Long Island Cares, said Kaylin Wasilchuk, corporate philanthropy manager of Long Island Cares.

"Groups learn about us and see our work in action," Wasilchuk told Patch. "Then they often come back again and again because they find the work very rewarding."

Some corporations even offer grants to their volunteers, according to Wasilchuk. For example, Allstate offers eight hours of paid time off to their employees and provides a grant of $500 to the place they volunteer once the eight hours have been met, she said.

Wasilchuk said businesses should get involved in giving back because it is "fun and rewarding."

"I can't tell you how many companies come for team building," Wasilchuk said. "It gets the staff out of the office, allows them to interact on a different level, and makes them feel good. Volunteers from BAE Systems, AARP, and Kimco Realty will be here next week to experience these things."

Long Island Cares has seen a 30 percent increase in people who need the food bank's services over the past year.

"It's only going to get worse," she said. "We need help now more than ever. It's a powerful thing when you can make someone's life better just by sharing what you have — whether it's time, food, or funds. Everything counts."

Long Island Cares would love to see more corporations get involved, Wasilchuk said.

"We have a great mission, and we would love to have more volunteers join us in the fight against food insecurity," she said.

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.