Holiday Guide 2011: Food Drives

With Thanksgiving around the corner and Christmas and Chanukah down the road, local congregations are gearing up with food drives for the holidays. 

Caryn Durkin, principal of Notre Dame School said they do a “tremendous food drive” that benefits Saint Brigid Our Lady of Hope in Old Westbury, NY.

“[We also do] a food pantry and the students run it completely as they do all of their activities,” Durkin said.

Student Council organizes the food drive, and has been doing so for several years.

“My children in this school have had a lucky blessed life and children need to know that they have an obligation to help others less fortunate,” Durkin said. “That’s just the way we operate here at Notre Dame. That’s a priority to us.”

Over at Temple Tikvah, Bob Emerman said they always do a year-long food drive that isn’t particularly special to the holidays.

“We collect food all the time, so that’s an ongoing thing,” Emerman said. “But we are participating with the Tiara Beauty Salon [on Willis Ave. in Williston Park]; they are doing a holiday collection for homeless and under privileged children and they do clothing and toys.”

Monetary donations with checks can be made payable to either Temple Tikvah or to Saint Aiden’s Church.

Long Island Cares offers a list of the most needed non-perishable items for food drives:

Personal Care items include: Toothpaste and toothbrushes, shampoo and conditioner, razors and razor blades, facial and toilet tissues, diapers, feminine hygiene items and soaps and lotions.                  

Canned Goods include: Canned meat, canned tuna or salmon, canned soup, canned vegetables, canned fruit, canned pasta and canned beans.

Snack Foods include: Nuts, granola bars, cookies, crackers and Jell-O and pudding.

Dry Goods include: Pasta, macaroni and cheese, rice, pancake mix, cake mix, hot and cold cereal and shelf-stable fluid milk.

Miscellaneous Items include: Peanut butter, jelly and jam, juice, ketchup and tomato sauce.