Grassroots News from Long Island Cares - The Harry Chapin Food Bank Winter 2017 www.licares.org An Evening of Honor A Huge Success! It was a wonderful night of giving back at Long Island Cares’ Annual Harry Chapin Humanitarian Awards Dinner: An Evening of Honor, paying tribute to two nationally recognized philanthropists and corporate leaders in the real estate industry. Over 325 people came out to support An Evening of Honor to honor Bruce E. Mosler, Chairman of Cushman & Wakefield Global Brokerage and Kenneth Fisher, Partner Management of Fisher Brothers and Chairman of the Fisher House Foundation. Both men are active philanthropists who have Committee Co-Chairs Susan Miller (L) dedicated their lives to improving the lives of the military, veterans and and Roseann Cavallaro their families. Special guest was Sal “The Voice” Valentinetti, direct from his America’s Got Talent appearance! Sal performed a 30 minute set of the music of Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and Bobby Darin! He rocked the room with his charm, hilarious wit and his genuine commitment to giving back, even rising to someone’s challenge to spontaneously auction three personally autographed custom drum heads for Long Island Cares’ Beat An End to Hunger” Campaign raising $3,600 in 15 minutes! Our thanks to the Honorees, The Tom Smith Orchestra presented (L-R) Long Island Cares CEO Paule Pachter with Committee by Jack Morelli Music, our wonderful committee, our terrific MC, News 12 Co-Chair George Tsunis (accepting the award for Kenneth Anchor, Carol Silva and to Sal Valentinetti for making An Evening of Honor Fisher); Honoree Bruce Mosler and Long Island Cares Board President, Brian Seidman. a truly memorable evening! (more photos page 4) INSIDE ISSUES What Impact Will the Trump Administration Have on Hunger and Poverty in America Now that the 2016 presidential election There’s a great deal of uncertainty about the Trump is over it’s understandable that, a large administration and its policies relative to the broad range of percentage of the American population will social problems that America needs to address. Nearly 47 million need time to come to terms and hopefully Americans utilize our nation’s emergency food assistance accept the outcome. For many, it might take programs, including regional food banks like Long Island Cares, weeks or months to heal from the onslaught Inc.—The Harry Chapin Food Bank. Although I don’t expect of vitriol that defined the presidential President Trump to turn his back on the issue of hunger and food election, and there are still many others insecurity, it needs to be seen what policies and programs his who may take longer to recover from one administration will support and which ones might be targeted Paule T. Pachter, of the darkest periods in our American for funding reductions. We do know that President Trump Chief Executive political system. Many not-for-profit campaigned on a promise to reduce taxes for the working class, Officer Long Island Cares, Inc. human service organizations might be part create millions of new jobs, increase spending for defense, and of those currently trying to recover, but as improve our infrastructure. All of these bold initiatives will cost we often tell the people we serve, we need to try to move forward money and the uncertainty is where the funds will come from. to a better place. continued on page 2 INSIDE ISSUES continued from page 1 We all know that if you increase spending in one area you have to Program (NSLP), the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program decrease spending in another area. for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and the Summer Food Service Program for Children, all programs that impact food What we do know is that President Trump is a supporter banks across the country. Any reductions in funding will have a of a faith-based focus towards those in need as illustrated in his significant impact upon people struggling with food insecurity. position of September 28, 2016 in which he said; Clearly, the initial policy focus of HHS will be on revisions “A Trump administration will always protect the conscience to The Affordable Health Care Act to insure that 20 million rights of faith-motivated helpers, healers and laborers in the many Americans don’t lose their health insurance. vineyards where the American flag stands as a beacon of help and hope. President Trump spoke a great deal about turning around Those motivated by their faith to help the less fortunate should never our cities during the campaign by creating new jobs and lifting be discriminated against in any government program on the basis of people out of poverty. However, the problems he identified are their moral and religious beliefs. That will never happen in a Trump also present in suburban areas, like Long Island, where more administration.” than 300,000 people are experiencing food insecurity. The Trump In relation to the issue of hunger, we will know more Administration must develop a bold and realistic plan to lift people about how the administration will respond based upon who will out of poverty and hunger which should include creating new and be appointed the new Secretary of Agriculture and Secretary of diverse jobs, improving educational opportunities, increasing the Health and Human Services. The USDA provides funding for The federal minimum wage, and maintaining the national safety net Emergency Food Assistance Program, Supplemental Nutrition of entitlement programs for those in need. The President’s agenda Assistance Program (SNAP), The National School Lunch must be inclusive of all Americans. Long Island Cares Board of Directors Sandy Chapin, Chairperson of the Board Larry Dunn The Harry Chapin Foundation Newsday Media Group Brian L. Seidman, President Gregory Fitzgerald BNY Mellon Wealth Management Susan Francis Joseph W. Brown, Past President A Plus East Coast Realty Inc. King Kullen Grocery Co. Inc. Alan Fromm Victor J. Canales, Vice President Amneal Pharmaceuticals JVC Broadcasting Inc. Carolyn Mazzenga Jim Lennon, Vice President Marcum, LLP Jim Lennon Photographer, Inc. Rosemarie Mignogna David Schneidman, Vice President Ridgewood Savings Bank Dave Cassaro, Secretary Susan L. Miller Dave Cassaro Consulting LLC Susan L. Miller Art Associates Diana T. Cecchini, C.P.A., M.B.A., Treasurer Jaime Chapin Miller Korg, USA. Inc. Thomas Murray David E. Herold, Vice Treasurer Albrecht, Viggiano, Zureck & Co., P.C. Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman, LLP Lynn Needelman Azad K. Anand, M. D. Long Island Diagnostic Imaging David E. Paseltiner Founder Harry Chapin Jaspan Schlesinger LLP Chief Executive Officer William Ayers Paule T. Pachter, LMSW Astoria Bank Dan Siegel Lifetime Brands (631) 582-FOOD (3663) Janet D’Addario Fax: (631) 273-2184 D’Addario & Co., Inc. Howard Weiner, CPA www.licares.org Michael Deering Jeff Yablon LIPA Hauppauge School District Ellen B. Deutsch The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. Graphic Design: RKD Alpha Dog Writer/Editor: Robin S Amato, CFRE Grassroots | Winter 2017 | 02 Long Island Cares, Inc. Receives $50,000 Grant Through Newsday Charities Will Fund Their Mobile School Pantry Program Long Island Cares, Inc., The AsparaGus the Friendly Dragon who makes our visit quite Harry Chapin Food Bank recently exciting for the children.” received a $50,000 grant through According to Robin Amato, Chief Development Officer Newsday Charities, a McCormick for Long Island Cares, “Our Mobile School Pantry was started in Foundation Fund. The grant will 2013 with corporate donations. Since then, the program continues support the operations of the to rely upon private donations to maintain the services we provide regional food bank’s Mobile School Pantry program that provides in Brentwood. We’re delighted that the Newsday Charities, a emergency food to children and families in the Brentwood Union McCormick Foundation Fund continues to recognize the issue Free School District at times when school is not in session. This is of children’s food insecurity and hunger as a major focus for the second year in a row that Newsday Charities has supported their generous funding support. The number of children that this important program. Since the start of the current school year face high food insecurity on Long Island has increased to 89,000. this past September, Long Island Cares’ Mobile School Pantry has Because of the support provided by Newsday Charities, we’re provided emergency food for 774 families including meals for able to continue to provide critical programs like the Mobile 1,820 children. School Pantry to children and their families. This program gives “Our Mobile School Pantry was implemented with the them additional access to healthy foods in a place where they feel full cooperation of administrators and teachers in the Brentwood comfortable and safe.” Union Free School District,” said Dr. Jessica Rosati, Chief Program For more information about the Mobile School Pantry and Officer for Long Island Cares. “The Mobile School Pantry other programs provided by Long Island Cares visit www.licares. visits seven of the eleven elementary schools in the Brentwood org or call (631) 582.FOOD. Larry Dunn community once a month during the week to provide food and Newsday Media Group supplies to families in need. Brentwood staff support has joined Gregory Fitzgerald Long Island Cares staff and volunteers to support the effort. In the warmer months, we are joined by the food bank’s mascot, Susan Francis A Plus East Coast Realty Inc. Alan Fromm Amneal Pharmaceuticals Carolyn Mazzenga Marcum, LLP Long Island Cares, The Harry Chapin Food Bank to Benefit from Rosemarie Mignogna Additional $115 Million in Support for Commodity Food Purchases Ridgewood Savings Bank from the USDA Susan L. Miller Susan L. Miller Art Associates As the end of the federal fiscal year approached on Chief Operations Officer for Long Island Cares.