Thanksgiving Food Distribution For Suffolk Veterans: Info
HAUPPAUGE, NY — Suffolk County veterans can claim a free Thanksgiving basket, Long Island Cares, PSEG Long Island and the Suffolk County Veteran Service Agency announced.
All veterans in Suffolk are welcome to the Thanksgiving Drive Through, scheduled for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 21, at the H. Lee Dennison Building, at 100 Veterans Memorial Highway, Hauppauge.
As of Monday, there are 132 veterans registered under “retired” status in Suffolk County, said Dr. Jessica Rosati, vice president of programs at Long Island Cares. Long Island Cares is prepared to distribute up to 600 holiday baskets and side proteins, she said.
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Veterans can register for the event here.
It marks the second year Long Island Cares is running the distribution with the Suffolk County Veteran Service Agency and PSEG Long Island, Rosati said.
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“Having the ability to do this distribution for SC Vets has been a wonderful experience and tremendously needed, as the majority of veterans who have registered are retired,” Rosati told Patch.
With over two weeks until the event, Long Island Cares anticipates more veterans will register, so Rosati does not think there will be a surplus of Thanksgiving baskets. Long Island Cares distributed to 405 veteran households last year, Rosati said.
“Given the increase in need, and the rise of numbers throughout the emergency food network, we increased our budget to accommodate the need,” she said.
PSEG Long Island is “proud” to partner with Long Island Cares again to help ensure the “men and women who have served our country can enjoy a full Thanksgiving meal,” said David Lyons, PSEG Long Island’s interim president and COO.
“These initiatives are opportunities for us to honor veterans in our community and thank them for their service,” Lyons said. “I am grateful to our PSEG Long Island employees for raising their hands to support our neighbors who served.”
Partners for this event include sponsor PSEG Long Island, the Suffolk County government, and the Suffolk County Veteran Service Agency.
Rosati thanked PSEG Long Island for being a partner and “understanding the challenges associated with food insecurity.”
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.
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