40 LONGISLANDPRESS.COM • MARCH 2021
BOB READ MEMORIAL FUND
AIDING COVID FAMILIES
BY MAIA VINES
Following Bob Read’s passing in January,
the veteran broadcast journalist’s
family has established a fund to provide
Long Island families affected by
Covid-19 with financial assistance.
During his 30 years at Inside Edition,
Read served as senior producer for its
investigative unit and as managing editor.
The West Islip native won numerous
awards for his skillful reporting, including
the George Polk Award and the
National Press Club Journalism Award.
“Bob Read was much more than just a
first-class journalist,” wrote the newsmagazine’s
staff in a statement on Read’s
death. “He was a mentor and dear friend
to so many of us at Inside Edition.”
Read tested positive for Covid-19 in December.
After passing, he left behind a
wife and two children. With more than
80 million adults in the U.S. struggling
to pay all their expenses during the
pandemic, the Robert B. Read Memorial
Fund, through United Way of Long
Island, helps families with children as
well as seniors afford basic needs and
essentials.
“United Way is local and independent
so we’re able to be very responsive to
whatever crisis is happening that we
can respond to,” said Theresa Regnante,
president and CEO of United Way.
“The Read family gave
us the ability, through
the generosity of their
friends, families, and
colleagues contributing
to this fund, to
make more of an
impact.”
The fund, which
has already
raised more
than $40,000,
expects to
help at least 50
families with
emergenc y
financial assistance.
Half the money
in the fund will
go towards
these families
and the other
half will be put
into an endowment
to support more families in the
future. United Way of LI works with
more than 100 organizations that submit
requests for those in need of aid.
Currently, the need for assistance on
Long Island is extensive, according to
Regnante. The group receives 20 to
30 new reports of families struggling
financially every day, which may be due
to unemployment, loss of a loved one, or
seniors suffering from chronic health
conditions who are isolated in their
homes during the pandemic.
“During such a devastating time for
our family, knowing that Bobby's
fund will support others
has truly been our greatest
comfort,” said Bob’s widow,
Michele Riordan Read. “The
man who would do anything
to help another will continue
to do so forevermore.”
Send acts of kindness to tbolger@
longislandpress.com
Robert B Read. (Courtesy United Way)
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