Nassau’s Community Food program feeds 5,000 families

Some 5,000 families in need have been provided a week’s worth of food as part of Nassau County’s new Community Food Distribution initiative. 

The program, created to help meet the surge in the demand for food assistance, is supported by $1 million of federal Community Development Block Grants for food banks to collect, distribute and purchase food.

Since late April, the county has held successful distribution events in Hempstead, Uniondale, Roosevelt, Levittown and Westbury. Upcoming distribution locations in May will include Hicksville, the Five Towns, Long Beach, Glen Cove and Valley Stream/Elmont. 

The need for food is evidenced by the increased number of Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program applications from Nassau residents, which have tripled year over year, going from 1,095 in April 2019 to 3,786 last month.

“No one in our county should have to worry about where their family’s next meal is coming from,” Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said in a county statement. “All levels of government must act fast to address the alarming rise in food insecurity, and Nassau will continue to do everything we can to make sure we all make it to the other side of this crisis.”