Long Island Board of REALTORS® (LIBOR) recently contributed nearly $9,000 to support community hunger relief programs in Queens, Nassau and Suffolk Counties this holiday season. Funds were collected through LIBOR’s 14th Annual REALTORS® Against Hunger (RAH) Virtual Food Drive held from November 15 – December 17, 2021 to benefit Island Harvest and City Harvest. LIBOR also made a significant contribution to supplement the drive.
The monetary collection drive assisted efforts by both organizations to provide food to hundreds of local food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters and other hunger relief programs throughout the three counties. The holiday season can be especially difficult for our neighbors requiring food assistance, and the COVID-19 pandemic has had an even greater impact on Long Islanders in need. The RAH collection campaign helped to provide a joyous holiday experience to people who struggle with hunger each day.
Island Harvest, Long Island’s largest hunger-relief organization, has served over 400,000 food insecure Long Islanders this year. They have pledged to help more help more than 15,000 families enjoy a turkey dinner, with all the trimmings this holiday season, as part of their Turkey and Trimmings Collection Campaign.
City Harvest, New York’s first and largest food rescue organization, helps feed millions of New Yorkers who struggle to put meals on their tables. As the city emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, they will rescue 111 million pounds of fresh, nutritious food and deliver it to nearly 400 food pantries, soup kitchens, community partners, and their own Mobile Markets across the five boroughs.
“For the past 14 years it has been the mission of the REALTORS® Against Hunger initiative to bring awareness to those who are suffering from food insecurity on Long Island,” said 2021 LIBOR President Susan Helsinger. “Our continued participation in this program provides the opportunity for our members to help those in need enjoy special holiday meals and be able to count on regular meals throughout the holiday season.”
The REALTORS® Against Hunger campaign was mobilized in 2008 to fight hunger in our local communities. Through the campaign, REALTORS® across Long Island have collected thousands of pounds of food, and have raised awareness for our neighbors living with hunger and poverty. With the astounding number of people seeking emergency assistance at food pantries, soup kitchens, and other organizations that provide food assistance, the need to find solutions to combat hunger is more important now than it has ever been.
Contributions to Island Harvest and City Harvest can be made at: