Commack Middle School Students Help Feed the Island’s Hungry

By Brenda Lentsch

Commack Middle School student government collected over 3,600 pounds of food this year for the hungry on Long Island, ranking second in donations. The school has collected 10,000 pounds of food since 2006, which supplements approximately 8,333 meals.

As a special thank you for their efforts, Island Harvest spokesperson and former Jets player, John Schmitt, and Doreen Principe, Island Harvest Senior Food Drive Coordinator, visited. The pair presented the group with a trophy and certificate for their efforts.

Mr. Schmitt shared a few stories about his time with the Jets, especially one about teammate – Joe Namath, and the 1969 Superbowl. If you’d like to view the video and hear that story, visit Commack’s YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/CommackSchools.

Island Harvest provides emergency food assistance and support to 65,000 Long Islanders each week. “On Long Island, there are more than 110,000 children struggling with food insecurity under the age of 18; there are also an estimated 39,000 seniors who receive support from our network of member agencies,” said Ms. Principe. She and Mr. Schmitt expressed the importance of the Commack school community’s ongoing commitment to help those less fortunate, and Island Harvest’s need for donations of goods, services, and volunteers.

“You have made a difference in the lives of many people, and prevented many children from going to bed hungry,” Ms. Principe told the students. For more information, visit www.islandharvest.org.