Long Island Cares Opens Additional Food Pantry in Valley Stream

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Long Island Cares Valley Stream Food Pantry. Photo: Isabelle Panza / Long Island Cares

Long Island Cares continues to act on its vision of “A Hunger Free Long Island” with the opening of its latest food pantry, their ninth on Long Island, in Valley Stream, Nassau.

The new Valley Stream food pantry opens on Tuesday, September 10, as part of Hunger Action Day. The event runs from 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. at 241 Rockaway Avenue.

Long Island Cares Valley Stream Food Pantry. Photo: Isabelle Panza / Long Island Cares
Long Island Cares Valley Stream Food Pantry Photo Isabelle Panza Long Island Cares

Named the West Nassau Center for Food Assistance & Community Support, the pantry will be open Monday – Friday, beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesdays are “Military Appreciation Tuesdays” and open only to veterans and service members.

“Opening the West Nassau Center for Food Assistance & Community Support is an extension of Long Island Cares that aims to provide immediate and ongoing relief to those suffering from food insecurity in Valley Stream and neighboring Nassau towns,” said Dr. Jessica Rosati, Vice President for Programs & Community Services. “None of this would be possible without the support of our elected officials and community partners that work together in an effort to improve the lives of others.”

Long Island Cares Valley Stream Food Pantry Photo Isabelle Panza Long Island Cares

“This is Long Island Cares’ ninth location, which brings us closer to the community by providing emergency food support to those in need,” said Paule Pachter, President & CEO of Long Island Cares. “We look forward to working with both the local business community and government to respond to the populations’ needs, as we’ve been doing in Freeport, Lindenhurst, Huntington Station, Hampton Bays, Hauppauge and Bethpage.” (Hauppauge and Lindenhurst each have two locations.)

The origin of the West Nassau Center for Food Assistance & Community Support dates to May 2022, when New York State Assemblymember Michaelle Solages, whose district includes Valley Stream, approached Long Island Cares about helping distribute food at the Valley Stream Presbyterian Church. “They are overwhelmed” Assemblymember Solages told Mr. Pachter.

Long Island Cares Valley Stream Food Pantry Photo Isabelle Panza Long Island Carestitle

Long Island Cares raced to the scene in the middle of the pandemic and found members of the Haitian and Caribbean communities and other newly arrived families struggling to put food on the table.

At the same time, Assemblymember Solages was enlisting the help of U.S. Representative Gregory Meeks, whose Fifth Congressional District includes a section of Valley Stream. Together they secured $560,000 in government funding to help Long Island Cares establish a permanent location in the town.

“Long Island Cares has been an invaluable partner in combating food insecurity and providing critical assistance to families in our community affected by the affordability crisis,” said Assemblymember Solages. “The new West Nassau Center for Food Assistance and Community Support will offer essential resources and support, directly addressing the needs of our neighbors. The diverse programs available will have a lasting impact on our most vulnerable families.

“I’m proud to have supported Long Island Cares in establishing this new pantry in Valley Stream and look forward to their continued efforts in uplifting our community.”

Long Island Cares contracted for the site in August 2022 and worked diligently to obtain all town approvals and guide construction and maintenance projects.

“Our new Valley Stream satellite is a beacon of hope for residents in Western Nassau County who are combating food insecurity,” said Lourdes Taglialatela, the on-site program coordinator. “At Long Island Cares we are committed to providing essential support to those in need, and our satellite sites play a crucial role in fulfilling this mission.”

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Evangeline Knell
Evangeline Knell is a 3-time Prime Time Creative Arts Emmy nominee and Shorty Awards winner for her production and design direction of interactive broadcast television elements for AMC’s “Talking Dead,” Bravo’s “Watch What Happens Live,” and an interactive television execution for Sprint during a live NASCAR race on the TNT network. After a 16-year career with CNN in New York, earning 3 Peabody Awards, her extensive creative and production work has been seen on dozens of broadcast and cable networks and station groups throughout the country. A proud member of the Board of Trustees of the Heckscher Museum of Art in Huntington and a board member of the Huntington Chamber of Commerce, she is Co-Founder of Going Local Media at goinglocal.li and Executive Producer at goinglocal.tv, built for Long Island local businesses and organizations, and has been the Owner and Creative Director of Identity Digital, a long-based video production and live streaming company since 2019, supporting and amplifying community businesses and organizations through the production of innovative, engaging, and authentic content that resonates with diverse, socially connected audiences.
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