With the help of the Long Island Chapter of the U.S. Veteran’s Motorcycle Club, Island Harvest launched its new initiative to fight hunger among military families at the Friday morning.
Operation: HOPE is a refrigerated mobile food van that will deliver supplemental food and personal care items directly to the homes of Long Island veterans and their families in need of assistance. The mobile resource, staffed by volunteers who themselves are veterans, also provides information about benefits and other services to the former servicemen and women.
The initiative was made possible by funding from NBTY Helping Hands Charity, a nonprofit run by the Ronkonkoma-based manufacturer/distributor of nutritional supplements.
“Our veterans have done their part, now it’s time for us to do ours in helping those who now face such serious issues as unemployment, mounting bills, and all too often hunger,” said Randi Shubin Dresner, president and CEO of Island Harvest. “Thanks to the U.S. Veterans Motorcycle Club-Long Island Chapter and NBTY Helping Hands Charity, we are able to provide direct outreach to those who have served our country with pride and distinction, but have returned home to economic uncertainty.”
