NOVEMBER 2020 • LONGISLANDPRESS.COM 15
FOOD ASSISTANCE
GREATER THAN DEMAND
BY PAULE PACHTER
CEO of Long Island Cares, Inc.
In the past seven months, more food has
been delivered to Long Island Cares-The
Harry Chapin Food Bank than ever
before.
On average, the regional food bank purchased
1.5 million pounds of perishable
and nonperishable food on a monthly
basis to assist Long Islanders as a result
of the COVID-19 pandemic. From March
through June, most food banks across the
country, including Long Island Cares, experienced
delivery delays between eight
and 12 weeks in receiving the foods we
had purchased. The first three months of
our COVID-19 response efforts brought
many new challenges, one of which was
receiving food at our warehouse.
Another challenge was with our community
food drives. Many were cancelled,
and those that were in progress were
not successful. It was at this time that
we found our niche in transitioning our
food drives to a virtual platform, which
has taken off and continues to grow and
expand.
During the same time frame, we experienced
a dramatic increase in our retail
donation program that provides us with
approximately 2 million pounds of
perishable foods annually. We also benefited
from an increase in corporate food
donations. We received an increase in the
amount of government commodities from
the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and
we have been actively purchasing food
through our contract with the New York
State Health Department. Additionally, we
are a recipient of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s
Nourish New York Initiative and the
USDA Food Assistance Program.
One might question if the current supply
of emergency food available on LI is greater
than the current demand. If we are able
to get everyone who lost a job back to work
and earning a steady income this might be
the case, but it’s not. The emergency food
supply must remain strong and abundant
because we honestly don’t know when the
COVID-19 pandemic will end. A recent
prediction by the U.S. government’s top
infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony
Fauci has the virus possibly leaving the
United States by September of 2021.
If businesses on the Island cannot fully
open, people will still need emergency
food assistance. If additional stimulus
support ends, people will still need to visit
the pantries. If schools must go on lockdown
again due to spikes in coronavirus
cases, children that rely upon their school
meals program will still need emergency
food assistance.
And, if Congress doesn’t provide additional
aid to the states and counties hardest
hit by COVID-19 like New York and Long
Island, the food banks will be needed even
more.
“The emergency food supply must remain strong.”
H MART, AMERICA’S BEST ASIAN SUPERMARKET CHAIN
If you’ve never shopped at H
Mart before, then you’ll be in for a
surprise! H Mart is a food paradise
waiting for you in several cities in
the United States!
H Mart, the popular Asian-
American supermarket chain with
three locations on Long Island, helps
Long Island residents prepare the
freshest, most creative and delicious
meals for their families.
H Mart is short for “Han Ah
Reum,” meaning “one arm full” in
Korean. The supermarket is known
for its massive array of goods and
specializes in both traditional Asian
and American groceries, with fresh
produce, meat, poultry, fish, and
RTC (Ready-To-Cook) items.
H Mart offers a variety of Asian
products, including Japanese,
Korean, Chinese, and more. H
Mart has a heritage of quality,
innovative ideas, and a desire for
the new and now.
Since the first H Mart opened
in Woodside in 1982, the New
Jersey-based company has
grown to more than 90 stores
across 14 states. In 2014, H Mart
was recognized as one of the
fastest-growing retailers in the
National Retail Federation’s Hot
100 Retailers, ranking No. 13.
H Mart Smart Savings Card
is a free loyalty membership
program that allows customers
to redeem a $10 gift card every
1,000 points ($1=1point). Smart
Card members are provided
with special deals and exclusive
benefits. Customers can sign up
for a new Smart Savings Card
through the H Mart mobile app,
available on the Apple App Store
and Google Play, featuring smart
shopping tools and easy access to
weekly sales.
The company also boasts its
popular Food Hall, a series of
Asian-inspired food halls with
food concepts curated by local,
national and international chefs.
Since its inception, it has caught
on with the media and the masses.
Whether you’re buying food for
dinner or for your weekly grocery
shopping, H Mart’s daily items,
special finds, and flavorful items
from Asia will satisfy your needs.
H Mart is located at 336 N.
Broadway in Jericho, 400 Hillside
Ave. in Williston Park, and 495
Great Neck Rd. in Great Neck. For
more information visit hmart.com
Information about events, special
promotions, and sales is available
on H Mart’s website (www.hmart.
com), Facebook and Instagram (@
hmartofficial).
SPONSORED
H Mart store in Jericho, NY.
POINT OF VIEW
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