A season for sharing

As the holiday season approaches, many of us are planning celebrations. We enjoy the tradition of giving gifts to loved ones, thanking those with whom we’ve shared joy and love throughout the year. We have giving on our minds. And as we come together to exchange gifts, we enjoy the bounty of the season, gathering around tables of plenty.

But this is also the time when our thoughts should turn to the less fortunate — those who have little, who may get no gifts at all, and those who are hungry. Many of the most vulnerable members of society — our children and senior citizens — are at risk in a weak economy. Many families have breadwinners who are out of work, and they, too, find themselves among the ranks of the “food insecure” or the hungry.

There has been a jump in the number of food banks and charities that now find erstwhile donors coming to their doors seeking help. Their resources are being strained to accommodate the need. And it’s not just now; the need is year-round, as more of our citizens find that food is becoming unaffordable.

Island Harvest, the largest hunger-relief organization on Long Island, serves as a bridge between those who have surplus food and those who need it. Its staff and volunteers collect food from more than 800 restaurants, caterers, farms and other businesses and distribute it to a network of nearly 570 soup kitchens, food pantries and low-income day-care centers as well as senior, youth outreach and rehabilitation centers in the area.

Having reported a sharp increase in demand for food in recent years and with no end in sight, Island Harvest says it can use help with food collection and delivery during the holiday season. It accepts all types of canned and packaged food, including frozen turkeys, canned vegetables, fruit, tuna and canned meat as well as cereal and shelf-stable milk. Donations of nonperishable food can be dropped off at any McDonald’s, Panera Bread or Bristal Assisted Living locations. Frozen turkey donations are being accepted only at Panera and Bristal locations.