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Island Heart Food Pantry Co-Director Janice Flaiz with grocery bags of full meals given out at last year's Thanksgiving along with a turkey. Photo courtesy of Island Heart Food Pantry
Island Heart Food Pantry
Volunteer Connie Simas unpacks food for the pantry. Photo courtesy of Island Heart Food Pantry
Island Heart Food Pantry

By Julianne Mosher

A local food pantry is seeking out volunteers to prevent closing its doors.

For more than 40 years, the Island Heart Food Pantry in Middle Island — a mission of the Mt. Sinai Congregational Church — has served thousands of people across Long Island. However, since the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world in 2020, the pantry has not been able to fully recover after a significant loss of volunteers — all while still needing to help feed the food insecure.

Director of the pantry Kathy Lahey said that in 2023, Island Heart served 24,000 people and, prior to the pandemic, they had roughly 40 volunteers on site. They were open several days a week, which allowed those struggling to stop in and “shop” its shelves filled with fresh produce, dairy, groceries and hygiene products. However, during the pandemic, they needed to change their model to a drive-up service where volunteers would package a box of goods depending on a family’s size and bring it out to their cars outside of the building. That model still applies today, but due to the lessened number of help, they are only able to stay open one day a week. 

As of now, they are only open on Wednesdays from 1 to 4 p.m. But despite being open for just three hours, in September the pantry served 354 families — 1,604 individuals in total.

“During COVID, we were getting a lot of help from donors and it was great,” Lahey said. “But once COVID ended, the number of people in need hasn’t gone down, but the donations and volunteers have.”

Lahey said that many of the volunteers moved away, have aged out or simply decided not to come back and since then, they’ve had a hard time staffing the pantry, operating solely on a skeleton crew.

“We’re one of the biggest pantries in Suffolk County,” she added. “We’re very active and a much-needed resource so we really need people to step up and help.”

Part of the volunteer search includes the crucial role of finding someone who has a large truck or vehicle. Lahey said they are in dire need of individuals who are able to pick up food from the Long Island Cares food pantry in Hauppauge as well as donations from Trader Joe’s in Lake Grove to bring back to the pantry, unload and stock the shelves on a weekly basis. 

“I’ve reached out to colleges, high schools, but we need people involved who want to stay with us,” she added. “It takes a village. It’s not just the church — we need the community at large to come in and help their neighbors in need.”

According to Long Island Cares, 234,000 Long Islanders are food insecure with 65,000 estimated to be children. Approximately 40 percent of these households are above the poverty level, but do not make enough to keep up with the high cost of living in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. 

Paule Pachter, president and CEO of Long Island Cares, said that their food bank offers nonperishable and perishable foods focusing on 19 staples including rice, eggs, pasta, soup, peanut butter and other groceries that provide a complete and healthy meal. The organization provides food and funding to 336 agencies consisting of nearly 300 local, community-based emergency food pantries in both Nassau and Suffolk Counties.

“Most of our food pantries operate on a client-choice model that allows families to select the food they want. As Long Island’s regional food bank, we provide food that is ordered from our online menu, and many of our agencies recommend the foods we should purchase,” Pachter said. “Since many people struggling with food insecurity also have medical issues, such as diabetes, obesity and heart problems, it’s crucial that the food we provide is nutritious, low-fat, low-sugar, protein-rich and more.”

Lahey said that the local food banks and the donations from Trader Joe’s “have been amazing to work with.”

So, as the cooler weather approaches and the holiday season starts to creep in, donating time (or food!) is welcomed at Island Heart Food Pantry. 

“The guests are super nice and super grateful … You get to know them and their families and you feel good about yourself,” Lahey said. “You’re definitely making a difference whether it be for an hour, two or three. Whatever you can give, you’ll feel good about it at the end. Plus, it’s a lot of fun.”

Island Heart Food Pantry is located at 643 Middle Country Rd, Middle Island. Volunteers are needed to assist with their weekly food pick-up from Long Island Cares at 10 Davids Drive, Hauppauge, to the pantry in Middle Island on either Tuesday or Wednesday. A large vehicle/truck is needed. They are also in need of a Wednesday morning pick-up/delivery person around 10 a.m. from Trader Joe’s near Smith Haven Mall to the pantry in Middle Island. Both positions can be on a weekly or an intermittent basis. 

For more information, please call 631-473-1582.

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Orange Cranberry Scones

By Heidi Sutton

Wake up the family with the delicious smell of scones baking in the oven.

Blueberry-Pecan Scones

YIELD: Makes 10 scones

INGREDIENTS: 

1/2 cup 2% reduced-fat milk

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons grated lemon rind

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

2 cups all-purpose

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

1/4 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted

Cooking spray

1 large egg white, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375°. Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Gently fold in blueberries and pecans. Add milk mixture, stirring just until moist (dough will be sticky).

Turn dough out onto a floured surface; pat dough into an 8-inch circle. Cut dough into 10 wedges, and place the dough wedges on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Brush egg white over dough wedges; sprinkle evenly with 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake scones at 375° for 18 minutes or until golden. Serve warm.

Orange-Cranberry Scones

Orange Cranberry Scones

YIELD: Makes 6 scones

INGREDIENTS: 

Scones:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons cold butter

2 large eggs

1/2 cup cold heavy cream

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 tablespoon grated orange peel

For the Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

DIRECTIONS:

To prepare scones: Heat oven to 425° F. In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. With pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in eggs, one at a time, then milk, cranberries and orange peel.

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Refrigerate 30 minutes, or until firm. Pat dough into 8-inch round, about 3/4-inch thick. Cut into six wedges; carefully separate wedges and place on parchment-lined baking sheet about two inches apart. Bake about 15 minutes until lightly golden and crusty.

For glaze: In small bowl, combine confectioners’ sugar and orange juice. Drizzle slightly cooled scones with glaze.

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PSEG Long Island’s Mobile Electric Safety Unit teaches electric safety to children, adults and first responders.

PSEG Long Island is taking its Mobile Electric Safety Unit on the road during the month of October to help local firefighters educate their communities about fire safety and prevention at their open house events. October is Fire Safety Month and Oct 6-12 is Fire Prevention Week.

PSEG Long Island’s Mobile Electric Safety Unit is a three-quarter-scale model of the electric distribution system on a 40-foot-long, 15,000 pound trailer. It includes high voltage wires, poles and other structures and items that can be found around homes and neighborhoods. Using this tool, instructors from PSEG Long Island simulate scenarios, including a live wire down on a vehicle, an aluminum pool skimmer coming into contact with an overhead wire, a squirrel on the electric line shorting out the circuit, and a wire down on a metal fence. They also demonstrate the lifesaving importance of properly inspecting utility workers’ personal protective equipment. Attendees can see electricity arcing and flaming in these situations and see and hear what happens when a fuse blows out.

Throughout the month of October, PSEG Long Island’s Mobile Electric Safety Unit will be at the following fire houses:

Deer Park Fire Department, 94 Lake Avenue, Deer Park on Saturday, Oct. 5

South Farmingdale Fire Department, 819 Main Street, Farmingdale on Sunday, Oct. 6

Huntington Fire Department, 1 Leverich Place, Huntington on Friday, Oct. 18

Dix Hills Fire Department, 115 East Deer Park Road, Dix Hills on Sunday, Oct. 20

Safety is PSEG Long Island’s top priority. Along with the mobile unit, the company offers safety programs for children and adults throughout the year, including Electric Safety Town, Touch-a-Truck and the Safety Sleuth poster program. To learn more about or request any of these programs, visit psegliny.com/inthecommunity. For electric safety and fire prevention tips, visit psegliny.com/safetyandreliability/safetytips.

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Resurrection Byzantine Catholic Church, 38 Mayflower Ave., Smithtown presents a Traditional Byzantine Ethnic Luncheon fundraiser on Sunday, Oct. 27 with two seatings: 12:30 to 2:30 p.m and 3 to 5 p.m. Luncheon platter includes stuffed cabbage, kielbasa and pierogi, cucumber salad, rye bread, traditional cookie dessert, coffee and tea. Takeout is also available. $25 per person. Reservations deadline is Oct. 14. To reserve your spot or to order takeout, call  Joanne at 631-332-1449.

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Photo from TOB

Town of Brookhaven’s Division of Women’s Services will host its  15th annual Conference, “Enough is Enough There’s no Excuse for Abuse,” at Brookhaven Town Hall, 1 Independence Hall, Farmingville on Saturday, Oct. 5 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. with interactive workshops featuring expert speakers and self defense techniques to protect yourself in any situation. Keynote speaker will be Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon, Jr. The event is free and open to all.

To register, visit https://www.brookhavenny.gov/753/Womens-Conference. or click here. For more information, call . 631-698-2074

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Photo courtesy of Town of Brookhaven

Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico (second from right) was on-hand for the grand opening ribbon cutting of Daisy’s Nashville Lounge, located at 275 Route 25A, Suite 33, Miller Place in North Country Plaza on Sept. 28.

This is the second location of the popular nightspot, with the first Daisy’s Nashville Lounge established in Patchogue in 2020. Daisy’s offers authentic Nashville fare with an ambience that will make you feel like you’re on the Nashville Strip with the best in country music on Long Island. Dinner reservations are recommended. 

For more information, call Daisy’s Nashville Lounge at 631-403-2900, visit the website at www.daisysli.com or Facebook at Daisy’s Nashville Lounge.

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METRO photo

By Fr. Francis Pizzarelli

Fr. Francis Pizzarelli

Every day I am amazed with the young people that I meet both in the classroom and on the street. So many of them express a sincere desire for wanting to make a difference. They’re seeking how to do that.

A while back I met a young man who was struggling with alcohol. On paper, his life was most impressive. He was captain of the football team in high school, got a scholarship to a university in upstate New York became the captain of that football team and graduated with honors.

In his senior year, he was struggling with what to do with the rest of his life. He decided to pursue a law degree. After graduation, he was hired by a prestigious law firm in New York City. He did an extraordinary job for them but his alcoholism got in the way. He resigned before he lost his law license.

With encouragement from family and friends, he went into residential treatment. After his assessment, it was determined that he would benefit from long-term treatment. After a few months, he thought he knew everything and he left against the council’s advice.

He had saved some money, was able to rent an apartment and set up a private practice. He is a very good attorney and did very well in the courtroom and for his clients. Unfortunately, he started to isolate and drink again. It got progressively worse to the point he almost died. His family conveyed they wanted nothing to do with him unless he was willing to go back into treatment.

Being a very stubborn young man, it took him landing back in the hospital and almost dying to agree to go back into treatment. He reached out to the program that helped him reclaim himself, the same place where he thought he knew more than the people running it. They welcomed him back.

He came back to treatment with a renewed commitment to surrender and listen to those who were entrusted with his care. In his third month, he had a painful awareness; he acknowledged that for a better part of 30 years he was harboring a traumatic event that changed his life forever.

When he was six years old, his father came home drunk and very angry at his mother. He had a gun and intended to kill her. He, his mother and baby sister were in the kitchen. His mom was holding his sister; his father was out of control he was sitting just a few feet away and the father’s gun went off missing his faced by inches and struck his baby sister. He never told anyone about that horrific event. He was embarrassed and ashamed.

Since letting go of that burden, he is determined to live his life differently, to live a life of wellness and recovery. He has decided to go back to school and become a nurse practitioner so he can give back to the recovery community that saved his life.

Change and transformation are possible, if we are willing to support those men and women who struggle with this serious health issue.

We need more beds for treatment not for next week or next year but for now. Go to Hope Academy at Little Portion Friary in Mt. Sinai and visit the Garden of Remembrance to see first-hand the 120 crosses for those who weren’t given a chance to reclaim their lives because we did not have the beds available for treatment. However, I believe hope springs eternal! I will continue to advocate for the most vulnerable among us!

Father Francis Pizzarelli, SMM, LCSW-R, ACSW, DCSW, is the director of Hope House Ministries in Port Jefferson.

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FCA’s Ryan Kiser (holding scissors) is flanked by FCA President and CEO Dr. Jeffrey Reynolds (left) and Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine (right) and enthusiastic FCA staff and supporters.
Free Recovery Center Serves Long Island’s North and South Forks

Family and Children’s Association (FCA), one of Long Island’s leading human services agencies, wrapped up National Recovery Month by cutting the ribbon today on its THRIVE East End Recovery Center in Riverhead. The event was attended by FCA management, THRIVE staff and volunteers, its not-for-profit partners in recovery services, THRIVE clients, families and friends, and state and local government officials.

As Long Island’s first recovery community and outreach center, THRIVE has been helping individuals and families find, maintain and strengthen their recovery since 2017. To date, thanks to continued funding from NYS Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) and donors, THRIVE centers in Hauppauge, Westbury and the East End have served more than 30,000 people.

THRIVE East End, the first drug and alcohol recovery center to open in Eastern Suffolk (Westhampton 2021), relocated to Riverhead to provide a more centralized and larger space to serve the recovery community of the North and South Forks.

Providing support at every stage of recovery, THRIVE offers a safe, welcoming haven for substance-free recreational and social activities that provide a meaningful alternative to social activities that involve substance use. All programs are free of charge.

“The success of the THRIVE community continues to grow through word of mouth and from the incredible support of our partners,” said Dr. Jeffrey L. Reynolds, President and Chief Executive Officer of FCA. “We know the need is real – and we’re excited to launch this new, centrally located facility to better support the East End of Long Island.”

Joining Dr. Reynolds at the ribbon cutting were:

  • Ryan Kiser, Director of Recovery Services, FCA;
  • Kym Laube, Executive Director of HUGS Inc. (Human Understanding & Growth Services);
  • Maureen Amy, THRIVE client speaker in recovery;
  • Thalia Olaya, Suffolk County Regional Representative for Governor Kathy Hochul;
  • John Bouvier, NYS Executive Chamber Regional Representative, Eastern Long Island, for Governor Kathy Hochul;
  • Angela M. Noncarrow, District Office Director for Senator Anthony H. Palumbo;
  • Edward P. Romaine, Suffolk County Executive;
  • Denise Merrifield, Riverhead Town Councilwoman;
  • Bob Kern, Riverhead Town Councilman;
  • James M. Wooten, Riverhead Town Clerk;
  • Jodi Giglio, New York State Assembly, 2nd District.

In conclusion, Dr. Reynolds added, We support individuals on their recovery journey by helping them sustain their progress and enhance their overall well-being. Together, we’re committed to ending epidemics.”

THRIVE East End is located at 680 Elton Street, Riverhead, NY. For more information visit www.fcali.org.

 

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Heather Lynch with Emperor penguins. Photo by Evan Grant

Stony Brook University Professor Heather J. Lynch, PhD, a professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolution in the College of Arts and Sciences, and the first Endowed Chair for Ecology and Evolution at the university’s Institute for Advanced Computation Science (IACS) has been awarded the 2024 Golden Goose Award for Unconventional Research that Yielded Unexpected and Impactful Discovery.

Caption: Heather Lynch with an Adélie penguin. Photo by Ron Naveen

Professor Lynch’s project, “From Poop to Protection: Satellite Discoveries Help Save Antarctic Penguins and Advance Wildlife Monitoring” which was funded by the National Science Foundation and NASA, looks at a way “to track penguin populations via satellite imagery, leading to the discovery of 1.5 million previously undocumented Adélie penguins and a whole new way to track wildlife.“ Professor Lynch shares this award with former IACS postdoctoral fellow Christian Che-Castaldo, PhD and Mathew Schwaller, PhD. Lynch also serves as the inaugural director of Stony Brook’s Collaborative for the Earth.

The Golden Goose Award celebrates federally funded research that may at first seem obscure or unconventional but has led to major breakthroughs in science and honors the importance of basic research, which aims to investigate unknown phenomena and advance current knowledge. The awards are hosted annually by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

“This is a tremendous honor for Professor Lynch. The Golden Goose recognizes that scientific discovery may not always follow a conventional path. Innovation is a hallmark of Stony Brook research, and Professor Lynch’s extraordinary research and dedication to addressing climate change is a stellar example,” said Carl Lejuez, Provost and Executive Vice President

“I’m hugely honored to have our work recognized in this way, and I remain as excited about the potential of satellite imagery as I was when we started this more than a decade ago,” said Heather Lynch. “I think we’ve only just scratched the surface of its potential for research and conservation.”

Professor Lynch’s research focuses on distribution and abundance of Antarctic wildlife, particularly on the development of remote sensing approaches to monitoring Antarctica’s penguin populations. She works closely with Antarctic policymakers to make sure they have the best available science at hand when deliberating measures for the area’s protection, and her discovery (with co-awardee Mathew Schwaller) of a major population of penguins in the Danger Islands directly led to the creation of a new Antarctic Specially Protected Area. She holds a doctorate in organismic and evolutionary biology from Harvard University and earned a master’s degree in physics from Harvard University and a bachelor of arts degree in physics from Princeton University.

To see more about Professor Lynch and her collaborators’ Golden Goose award-winning research, go to YouTube.

 

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