The Harry Chapin Food Bank battles hunger on Long Island, New York

1. Fighting Hunger on Long Island
Long Island Cares, Inc. - The Harry Chapin Food Bank
By Pam Smith
H
“Hunger in America” reported in
2006 that over 259,000 Long
Islanders, including 93,000 children,
were at risk of going hungry each
day, turning to soup kitchens, food
pantries and emergency shelters for
help with food. Since that report
these numbers have increased
significantly. Hunger is affecting
ever-wider sections of the working
class, including two-parent
households and the gainfully
employed. The economic downturn
has changed the face of hunger on
Long Island, leaving many low-
income and even middle-class Long
Islanders struggling for the first
fighting hunger in our region is Responding to an increase in
time.
Long Island Cares, Inc. - The Harry the number of individuals and
What many have in common is
Chapin Food Bank. It is Long families turning to food pantries
the difficult choice of feeding their
Island’s first food bank and one of and food banks for assistance, Long
families or paying the rent, heating
the region’s most comprehensive Island Cares - The Harry Chapin
the house, or filling a prescription.
hunger action organizations. Food Bank recently opened an
More and more families on Long
Founded in 1980 by the late singer, emergency food pantry at their
Island are finding themselves
songwriter and social activist, Harry corporate headquarters in
accessing food banks and
Chapin, the organization provides Hauppauge. The First Stop Food
emergency food programs. The
nutritional food and support Pantry serves as a triage pantry that
trend is consistent with several
services for a network of more than provides individuals and families in
recently released national studies
540 community-based member need with up to ten days worth of
finding that hunger is on the rise
due to the worsening economy and agencies including food pantries, food, along with information about
is expected to continue through soup kitchens, emergency shelters, critical community resources such
child care programs, senior as food stamps, Child Health Plus,
nutrition sites, disability WIC, heating and utility assistance,
What many have in common is the organizations, veteran’s services and employment resources, and
difficult choice of feeding their more. While the annual mortgage assistance.
distribution of nearly 6 million “The bottom is eroding from the
families or paying the rent, heating pounds of nutritional food safety net for middle class families
the house, or filling a prescription. warehoused in their 27,000 square on Long Island,” said Paule Pachter,
foot distribution center is at the Executive Director. “With an
much of next year. Thirty six heart of Long Island Cares’ increase of between 25 and 45
percent of low-income households operations, it functions as more percent in the number of families
are eating less or skipping meals than just a food bank. Long Island turning to food pantries, soup
because they don’t have enough Cares provides a broad array of kitchens and hunger relief
money for food, and 40% stated programs and services including organizations, we have no choice
that they were forced to choose hunger education, job training, but to expand the mission of Long
between food and paying for supplemental food programs for Island Cares to serve people
utilities during the past year. children, school supplies, job directly,” Pachter added. “Long
The leading organization development, legislative advocacy, Island Cares has historically
and a triage food pantry. provided food to a network of

2. community-based agencies, but organization is building for the
with the increase in the number of future and intends to serve the
people in need it just seems logical community for many years to come.
to provide a triage service pantry “Pat Benatar’s name will certainly
before we refer people into the add a great deal of influence to our
community-based pantries, which Endowment Campaign among Long
are often over-burdened and Islanders and others,” said Pachter,
running low on food,” he “She is one of the most recognizable
concluded. female Rock artists in history and a
Long Island Cares, Inc. - The multiple industry award
Harry Chapin Food Bank is an winner. Her songs are classics and
important part of the Long Island we are honored that she has chosen
community. It is continued today by to chair this campaign that will
Harry Chapin’s wife and partner hopefully secure and enhance the
Sandy Chapin along with a future of Long Island Cares.
dedicated Board of Directors and Fame, however, is not a pre- Pat Benetar is one of the most
talented staff working out of their requisite for helping Long Island recognizable female Rock artists in
facility in Hauppauge. While serving Cares. Students across Long Island history and a multiple industry
individuals and families in need, have volunteered their time with a award winner. Her songs are
most of their success is due to the hugely successful fund raising classics and we are honored that
support and generosity they receive program created by Mrs. Peggy she has chosen to chair this
from Long Islanders of all ages and Rakas of the Camp Avenue
campaign that will
backgrounds. Elementary School in North
hopefully secure and enhance the
Famous musicians have Merrick. In March, 2009 music
supported Long Island Cares students from 36 different schools future of Long Island Cares.
through various endeavors. Pat turned their music practice into
Benatar, Bruce Springsteen and dollars with a Practice-A-Thon students learning about hunger and
Judy Collins have all championed fundraiser to benefit Long Island our founder.” “There is a natural
the cause. Native Long Islander, Pat Cares. With encouragement from bond between music and our
Benatar, is Honorary Chairperson their band teachers, the students organization, which our Board and
for the Long Island Cares raised money by obtaining staff continue to actively nurture,
Endowment Campaign. The commitments from donors who and when musically talented
agreed to pay the children get involved wonderful
students for each things like Practice-A-Thon
minute of happen,” Pachter added. The
practice on their Practice-A-Thon fundraiser will take
instruments. Not place again in March, 2010 and all
only did the schools are encouraged to
students improve participate. If your school is
their musical interested in joining the fundraiser
skills, but they please call the Long Island Cares
raised a total of Development Office.
$24,756 for Long Hunger on Long Island is far
Island more widespread than you might
Cares. Pachter, a think, but you can help make a
musician himself, difference. Even a small effort by
was impressed each one of us can result in huge
by the response change. All donations of food,
from the students money or time are greatly
when he visited appreciated, regardless of amount.
endowment fund, which is a Camp Avenue Elementary School in To help feed the needy please
permanent, steady, and secure North Merrick. “It all started with :
contact: Long Island Cares, Inc. -
source of income, is vitally one band teacher at one school. The Harry Chapin Food Bank:
important to charitable, non-profit Mrs. Peggy Rakas asked if her band 631-582-FOOD (3663) or
organizations in uncertain could do it for us and then sent an www.LICARES.org
economic times. Establishing an email to some of her colleagues in
endowment is like planting the seed other schools. It just mushroomed
of future organization growth; it into this fantastic, fun and very “To know is to care, to care is to act, to act
tells the community that the industrious fundraiser, with the is to make a difference” - Harry Chapin
16 | spring ‘08 | generations