Sandy: The "Gift" That Just Keeps On Giving

Above, The Interfaith Nutrition Network (INN) locations. 

According to the Department of Agriculture, in 2011 there were 320,000 Long Islanders - more than 11% of the population - that were termed "food insecure."  Government cuts to the food stamp program and the continuing economic impact of the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy has exponentially increased the need for social service aid on Long Island in 2014. One organization helping the hungry and homeless in Nassau and Suffolk Counties since 1983 - Interfaith Nutrition Network (INN) - has responded to the increased need for support by expanding their operations to include 19 soup kitchens. Among them is the Long Beach Food & Frienship INN, sorely needed, because in addition to the region’s tepid recovery from the Great Recession, here in Long Beach the Long Beach Medical Center, which pre-Sandy was the city’s largest employer (1,200 workers), remains shuttered.

In today's Newsday, there was an interesting article:

“Stressed-Out Safety Net”

LI Charities provide more help for the hungry as food-stamp grants are cut

By Carol Polsky

Newsday, January 6, 2014

“Although the reduction of benefits has been painful for some families, the larger issues are unemployment, or under-employment, and low-wage jobs as well as the financial impacts of superstorm Sandy, pantry workers said.”

If you’re interested in learning more about Interfaith Nutrition Network, check out the video below.

http://www.the-inn.org/home/the-inn-agency-video.html