Community News

Help A Local Family Enjoy The Holiday At This Year’s Bethpage Turkey Drive For Island Harvest Food Bank

The Bethpage Turkey Drive to benefit the Island Harvest Food Bank will take place on Friday, November 19, 2021, from 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM. The 13th annual food drive will include a no-contact donation car drive-through which will enable community residents to remain in their cars while volunteers remove donations from the vehicles.

Long Islanders are asked to donate frozen turkeys, non-perishable food items or cash donations. These donations will go directly to Island Harvest Food Bank, which will help supply Thanksgiving meals to the more than 300,000 food-insecure Long Islanders through its distribution network of over 400 food pantries, soup kitchens, and other feeding programs on Long Island. Non-perishable food items needed include canned goods, cereal, pasta, rice, boxed juices, and shelf-stable milk (please, no glass containers).

The Bethpage Turkey Drive will take place at Bethpage Federal Credit Union’s headquarters located at 899 South Oyster Bay Road in Bethpage.

For those unable to make a donation on November 19th, or would rather show their support online, Bethpage is accepting online monetary donations at http://www.lovebethpage.com/turkeydrive, beginning in November, through Friday, December 31st. Donations can also be made at any Bethpage branch.

“2020 was a record-breaking year for the turkey drive,” said Linda Armyn, Senior Vice President, Bethpage Federal Credit Union. “We hope Long Islanders continue to show their support again this year as the need on Long Island is still great. We’ve also taken all necessary safety precautions with the contactless drive-through donation drop-off so everyone should feel very safe.”

“Thanks to Bethpage Federal Credit Union’s annual turkey drive and the generosity of countless Long Islanders, we’re able to provide a traditional holiday-style meal, complete with a turkey and all the trimmings, to thousands of local families who are struggling to make ends meet,” said Randi Shubin Dresner, president & CEO, Island Harvest Food Bank. “Bethpage Federal Credit Union’s support extends beyond the holidays. They are a longtime and year-round partner in our mission to end hunger and reduce food waste on Long Island, and we are grateful for their caring and support.”

Patches will be given to all Girl Scouts who make a donation. Troop leaders can make a donation on behalf of troop members, and bring back patches for the entire troop.

Since the first Bethpage Turkey Drive was organized in 2009, hundreds of community volunteers have come out to assist in the collection of more than 40,000 turkeys and over 168,000 pounds of food, which were then given to Long Island families facing hardship in time for the holidays. Island Harvest Food Bank has seen an increase in the requests for food and support services among the 400 community-based agencies it serves. About 70,000 individuals receive food assistance from the Island Harvest Food Bank network each week.

Island Harvest Food Bank
Island Harvest Food Bank is a leading hunger-relief organization that provides food and other
resources to people in need. Always treating those it helps with dignity and respect, its mission is to end hunger and reduce food waste on Long Island through efficient food collection and distribution; enhanced hunger-awareness and nutrition-education programs; job training; and direct services targeted at children, senior citizens, veterans, and others at risk of food insecurity. As a result of Island Harvest Food Bank’s dynamic business model, more than 94 percent of expended resources go directly to programs and services that support more than 300,000 Long Islanders facing hunger.

Island Harvest Food Bank is a lead agency in the region’s emergency response preparedness for food and product distribution. It is a member of Feeding America®, the nation’s leading domestic hunger relief organization. For five consecutive years, Island Harvest Food Bank has earned a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, a leading independent charity watchdog organization. Island Harvest Food Bank is among just 9% of the organizations rated by Charity Navigator to merit the four-star designation. More information about Island Harvest Food Bank is at www.islandharvest.org.

Bethpage Federal Credit Union
Bethpage Federal Credit Union is a premier community financial institution committed to enriching the lives of its members, employees and the communities it serves for the past 80 years. Bethpage is the largest credit union in the Northeast Region, and the 13th largest in the nation.

As a not-for-profit credit union, Bethpage is committed to its members and the communities it serves. In addition to giving back to its members in the form of great rates and low fees, the Bethpage Cares program invests heavily in local, high-impact community programs that serve
with an eye towards creating better communities through diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.

Voted the fifth Best Company to Work for in New York State by the New York State Society for Human Resources Management and the Glass Door Top Place to work for Small & Midsize companies, Bethpage is a federally chartered credit union, available to people nationwide who open a $5 dollar membership account. Bethpage offers a robust digital platform that allows members to bank from anywhere. Bethpage is a part of the national CO-OP network that gives members access to their accounts at over 30,000 free ATMs and 5,000+ shared branches across the U.S. As a financial cooperative, Bethpage offers the best-in market rates, lowest fees and world-class service, plus a full menu of personal and commercial financial services. For more information on Bethpage’s robust portfolio of banking, borrowing, and investment services, visitwww.lovebethpage.com or call 1-800- 628-7070

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