Rock and Wrap It Up! still continues to thrive

Despite being in the midst of an economic downturn, the Cedarhurst-based Rock and Wrap It Up! Inc. continues to build momentum on a local and national level toward its goal of reducing hunger.

Some of the new developments for the Five Towns hunger relief organization include launching a new Web site:

win4hunger.org, airing radio ads during New York Yankees playoff games on WCBS 880 AM and being featured in an episode of the hit VH1 reality show "Rock of Love." Rock and Wrap it Up! has also teamed up with the New York Mets to create recyclable containers for food collection.

Rock and Wrap It Up! chief executive officer Syd Mandelbaum has been the architect of this successful operation and is thrilled to see the not-for-profit group's profile raised nationally and continue to thrive even during a down economy. Under Mandelbaum's leadership, Rock and Wrap it Up! has designed simple food-collecting practices at places like schools, sports stadiums and hotels that have remained consistently successful in up and down markets. "We are like a light in the dark," said Mandelbaum of how his organization is able to remain very recession proof because of the simple strategies used to feed the hungry. "These are tactics and strategies that are very long-term."

Part of Rock and Wrap it Up!'s momentum has included signing up numerous school districts to take part in its snack wrap and food rescue program. Some South Shore districts that have come on board with the hunger-relief program in recent years include Hewlett-Woodmere, Rockville Centre, Baldwin and Bellmore-Merrick. Yeshivas have also gotten behind the cause with the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway in Lawrence joining the snack wrap program earlier this year and North Shore Hebrew Academy in Great Neck also starting to participate with the organization.

"Our whole goal is to raise awareness of community service, hunger and greening our environment," said Rockville Centre resident Rose Foley, the national director of Rock and Wrap it Up!'s school programs. "If we start with young kids they will hopefully do this when they are older."