LI Cares To Hold 'Harry Chapin Day Of Service' With Raffle, Merch, Warehouse Tours, More
HAUPPAUGE, NY — Long Island Cares’s Harry Chapin Day of Service is set for July 16, the food bank announced.
The day will serve as a tribute to the food bank’s founder, Harry Chapin, and his “unwavering commitment to giving back and making a difference,” Long Island Cares wrote.
“We are excited to offer several opportunities to spread awareness and give back,” the organization stated.
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Jason Chapin, Harry’s son, said he is “extremely grateful” for all that Long Island Cares does to honor his father’s life and legacy.
“It’s very special to me that they are having a day of service in his name,” Jason Chapin told Patch. “My father liked to say, ‘When in doubt, do something.’ He always made time to help others. I have no doubt that LI Cares will get a great turnout and help many people as they always do. Thank you very much to everyone involved.”
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Long Island Cares will host a island-wide food drive at all Long Island Cares-operated food pantries. There will be guided tours of the main Long Island Cares food bank, at 10 Davids Drive, Hauppauge. The warehouse is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays. Satellite locations are open from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. to assist people in need of emergency food assistance.
July 16 will mark 43 years since Harry Chapin died.
“We use this day to remember Harry’s music and his legacy, and to call attention to the work of Long Island Cares by engaging the community in a day of service and remembrance,” said Paule Pachter, CEO of Long Island Cares. “Most Long Islanders who were fans of Harry Chapin’s from 1970 often have what I refer to as ‘a Harry story.’ We hear about his concerts and visits to local schools and colleges and how accessible he was to his fans. And of course, people always remember where they were on 7/16/81, the day that Harry died.”
People will get to see how the food bank receives and distributes food to its communities.
The tours provide an opportunity for people to learn where all the food Long Island Cares delivers to its member agencies comes from, Pachter said. This includes food that is purchased, donated, retail rescue, food drives, USDA Foods, and more. Visitors can also see how food and other products are sorted and repacked and learn more about Long Island Cares’s direct service programs.
Tours will run on the hour from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with a maximum of 10 people per tour. The last tour leaves at 1 p.m. People can register by filling out the form on this webpage.
Other activities planned at the warehouse include:
“We’re optimistic that the community will respond to our ‘Day of Service’ in many ways, including donating nonperishable food, making a cash donation, and registering to volunteer,” Pachter said. “The more that the media joins us in promoting this event along with our postings on our website and social media platforms, the greater the probability will be to ensure our success that day.”
Patch has partnered with Feeding America since 2020 to help raise awareness in our local communities of hunger, a persistent national problem exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Feeding America, which supports 200 food banks and 60,000 local meals programs across the country, estimates that nearly 34 million people, including 9 million children — about 1 in 6 Americans — are living with food insecurity. This is a Patch social good project; Feeding America receives 100 percent of donations. Find out how you can donate in your community or find a food pantry near you.
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