LONG ISLAND, NY — Two Long Island sports teams announced partnerships with Long Island Cares ahead of the holidays.
Strong Island, a Melville-based team in the Strong Island Derby Revolution; and the Long Island Nets, an NBA G League team affiliated with the Brooklyn Nets, are collaborating with the Hauppauge-based food bank, Long Island Cares spokesman Peter Crescenti said.
The Long Island Nets are set to collect food at two home games: Nov. 10 and Nov. 12. The team also offered up to 150 free tickets to Long Island Cares’s neighbors for select games during the season. Additionally, the team is set to volunteer at the food bank’s Adopt-A-Family packing event on Nov. 13.
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Fans who donate to the collection boxes will receive a 15 percent Long Island Nets merchandise discount to be redeemed at the team store, said Morgan Taylor, president of the team.
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Strong Island Derby Revolution invited Long Island Cares to be its Community Partner Highlight on Nov. 2 — the league’s final bout of the 2024 season, said Peter “Petey” Panic, a member of Strong Island. Long Island Cares will have an outreach table and a dedicated time to take the mic during halftime to talk about the work and services they provide to the community to all attendees. Each bout garners between 200 and 400 people. Donation boxes will be set up at the entrance, and the league has been encouraging communities to bring non-perishable food and other items to donate.
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Gabrielle Cubi, food drive coordinator at Long Island Cares, said the timing of the two collaborations are “incredibly” important given Thanksgiving and the holiday season are coming up.
“Unfortunately, the request for the organization’s services is all year long,” Cubi told Patch. “The request is heightened during the holiday season, as most families and individuals may have to choose between holiday fixings and staple ingredients for their household. Long Island Cares is hoping that this collaboration will help spread and inform our neighbors who might not know of our mission, in need our services, and inform all Long Islanders of our mission to end food insecurity. Even more importantly, how we can come together as a community to make a greater impact for our neighbors in need.”
The Long Island Nets have been working with Long Island Cares since 2020, according to Taylor.
“The partnership has been very special to us because our two organizations have aligned missions in bettering the local Long Island community,” Taylor said.
In the past, the Long Island Nets have collected food at a home game, and their mascot made an appearance at the charity’s Summer Feeding Program at the Middle Country Library over the summer, said Kaylin Peterson, corporate philanthropy manager at Long Island Cares.
“This year they have increased their interaction with us, and it’s nice to see,” Peterson said. “They are great to work with.”
The Long Island Nets are aware that 221K Long Islanders are affected by food insecurity, and out of that, 65K are children, Taylor said.
“It is crucial that our community comes together in support of those who lack access to nutritious foods for themselves and their families,” Taylor said. “Our hope is that our partnership with Long Island Cares brings awareness to this vulnerable population and we can make a meaningful impact to ensure no one in our community goes hungry.”
Panic said many different nonprofits were considered for highlighting during the 2024 season.
“I think what really resonated with league members is the importance of community and family (however you define family) to lift each other up — especially as we enter the holiday season,” Panic said. “Strong Island Derby Revolution is more than just a sports team — we build friendships and community and are a chosen family that exists and thrives both on and off the track. We come from different walks of life and experiences and show up for each other in times of celebration and in times of need and challenge. With the holiday season rapidly approaching, being able to spread awareness and contribute to an organization that shows up for Long Island’s food insecure — which is also a diverse community that includes families, children, seniors, veterans, and young people — was important to us.”
Food insecurity does not only exist around the “season of giving,” Panic said.
“This is why it is important to us to not only provide an opportunity for people to donate but to also provide a platform for our fans to hear directly from the organization to learn more about what they do, help reduce the stigma around food insecurity, and encourage people to spread the word throughout the year,” Panic said.
Strong Island Roller Derby is owned, managed, and operated entirely by skaters and other volunteers working together for the benefit of the league and the surrounding community, Panic said. The league is dedicated to fostering a positive, inclusive environment that promotes healthy competition, teamwork, and the love of roller derby.
“Everyone can find a place in the Roller derby community — whether it be a skater, a referee, a non-skating official, a volunteer, or a fan,” Panic said.
People can buy tickets to the Nov. 2 bout here. The coupon code “LICARES” can be used for a discount.
The roller derby league is also hosting a “Rocky Horror Picture Show” Movie Fundraiser on Saturday, Nov. 16 in Sayville. Tickets are available here.
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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