Long Island’s largest food drive event, the 6th Annual Bethpage Turkey Drive to benefit Island Harvest Food Bank, will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 18, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Bethpage Federal Credit Union’s main branch located at 899 South Oyster Bay Road in Bethpage.
Long Islanders are asked to donate frozen turkeys, non-perishable food items or cash donations to this worthy cause. Donations will go directly to Island Harvest, which will then help supply Thanksgiving holiday meals to the more than 300,000 hungry Long Islanders through its distribution to 570 food pantries and agencies on Long Island.
“The Bethpage Turkey Drive has become a Thanksgiving tradition on Long Island thanks to the supporting communities who year after year come out to help their neighbors in need,” said Linda Armyn, Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs. “Each holiday season, families look to find ways to help those who are less fortunate. We encourage parents to get their children involved in making donations as a way to kick off the holiday season,” she continued, thanking the turkey drive’s partners—Cablevision and Connoisseur Media—for making the event a success.
“Bethpage Federal Credit Union (BFCU) has established itself as a strong supporter in the fight against hunger not just during the holidays, but throughout the year,” said Randi Shubin Dresner, president and CEO, Island Harvest. “Through their financial support, and via the countless volunteer hours logged by its employees, BFCU is making a difference in the lives of Long Islanders struggling with hunger.”
As Long Island’s largest hunger relief organization, Island Harvest provides food and non-food items for people who are hungry and in need, giving them a voice to help them transition from uncertainty to stability.
Since the first Bethpage Turkey Drive was organized in 2009, hundreds of community volunteers have come out to assist in the collection of over 21,500 turkeys and 62,000 pounds of food, which were then provided to Long Island families facing hardship in time for the holidays. Island Harvest has seen an increase in the requests for food and support services among the 570 community-based agencies it serves. About 70,000 individuals receive food assistance from the Island Harvest network each week.
For those unable to travel to Bethpage’s main branch on Nov. 18, Nassau and Suffolk County residents can visit any of Bethpage’s 29 branch locations to drop off all non-perishable donations. For a complete list of Bethpage branches, go to www.lovebethpage.com.
