Credit union food drive fills Elmont food pantry

Ocean Financial Federal Credit Union delivered goods from its annual Holiday Food Drive to an Elmont food pantry earlier this month.

The donations that were collected at the credit union’s branches went to the pantry at St. Vincent de Paul Parish and included baby food, shelf stable milk, canned goods, sponges, garbage bags, baby products, paper products, even blankets and clothing.

“We have always had a vested interest in the health and welfare of our community and the people in it,” Joe Tedesco, president and CEO of OFFCU, said in a written statement. “This is our eighth year completing our food drive and it gets better every year. It is so important that we help those who are less fortunate or who maybe have fallen on hard times. By lifting up those who need it, we elevate everyone.”

Mary Rose O’Hara, outreach coordinator at St. Vincent de Paul Parish, said they were grateful to Ocean Financial for their continued support of the parish.

“Food insecurity in New York is on the rise and families are in need of our services more than ever,” O’Hara said in the statement. “We are so grateful to organizations who help us to give back to those in need, especially during the holiday season.”