Volunteers help needy families for the holiday

More than 130 families enjoyed Thanksgiving dinners on Thursday in spite of their trying circumstances thanks to the East Meadow Kiwanis Club and community members who participated in the holiday food basket initiative.

Volunteers from the Kiwanis Club — a service organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for children and families — kicked off the Thanksgiving charitable campaign by hosting food drives at Shop Rite and Super Stop and Shop on Nov. 14 and 15. Kiwanians assembled meal baskets with the donations on Friday, and needy families received all of the components of complete Thanksgiving dinners for free on Saturday.

Kiwanis leaders said the collections at local grocery stores were extremely successful, noting that seven youth service leadership organizations, Kiwanis New York District Governor-elect Stephen A. Sirgiovanni, Best Market and members of the World Gym all contributed to the cause. Volunteers also did some last minute shopping on Friday evening before putting together the care packages at W.T. Clarke High School.

Volunteers delivered each basket to needy families on Saturday morning. Local religious leaders and social workers identified prospective recipients, in addition to alerting them about when to expect delivery of the food.

Holiday Food Drive Chairperson Jay Steinmetz, Holiday Food Basket Assembly Chairperson Dr. Steven Perrick and Holiday Food Basket Delivery Chairperson Alan Hodish led the Thanksgiving campaign. The project is just one of the many Kiwanis Club activities that benefit disadvantaged people in the community. Other initiatives include sending children to summer camp, awarding college scholarships, donating funds and equipment to a variety of community service groups that save and enhance residents’ lives and sponsoring school-based youth service leadership programs that develop character, responsibility and leadership skills in the student participants.

The East Meadow Kiwanis Club is one of the largest in New York. More information about the group can be found at eastmeadowkiwanis.portalbuzz.com.