Tis the Season of Giving!

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Turkey

On Sunday, November 17th, students from the Health, Wellness and Nutrition (HWN) club along with Professor Jill Silverman, co-chair of the committee and Assistant Professor in the Department of Nutrition Science and Health Promotion Wellness (HPW), volunteered for Island Harvest “Turkey & Trimmings” food collection at the Stop n Shop in West Babylon. Island Harvest is a leading hunger-relief organization with a mission to end hunger and food insecurity on Long Island. 

Together, the club helped to raise 1,216 pounds of food and over $500, “breaking collection records”. Maya Siegel, Psychology Major and HWN Club Member, says “it was a great experience that we hope will make an impact on the community during the holiday season!” 

Approximately 221,000 people on Long Island suffer from food insecurity. Although 40% of food-insecure households are above the poverty level it is not enough income to keep up with the inflated cost of living on Long Island, but too much for eligibility in nutrition assistance programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) 

Kathryn Boehm, HPW Major and Club President, recalls, “it was truly such a great day of giving back! It was heartwarming to see so many people take the time out of their busy schedules to purchase Thanksgiving food items and donate them to Island Harvest for families in need. This was a memorable event, and I would love for the club to continue this tradition every year!” 

For more information on Island Harvest, please visit https://www.islandharvest.org/about-us/