Kiwanis Food Drive Helps Families in Need

East Meadow Kiwanis collected an estimated 1,300 pounds of food last weekend at for its Thanksgiving food baskets. On Saturday and Sunday, the group gathered outside , urging shoppers to buy canned food items that will contribute to a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for over 100 of East Meadow's less fortunate families.

Jay Steinmetz, community service and food drive chairman, said that East Meadow Kiwanis will feed 122 families on Thanksgiving this year.

"We're growing every year," said Steinmetz. "Thirteen years ago when I started here, we were feeding 15 to 20 families. Last year, we averaged about 109 families."

East Meadow's Kiwanis Club has three food drives every year to help feed the community's less fortunate families during the holidays. In addition to the Thanksgiving food drive, there are also collections for Christmas/Hanukkah and Easter/Passover dinners.

This Thanksgiving's food drive brought out nearly 60 volunteers from East Meadow Kiwanis, including volunteers from Key Club, Kiwanis' high school division.

Christina Principato, Gina Principato, Alexis De La Cruz, Jason Laskin and Jackie Rosenking were students from Clarke's Key Club that volunteered on Saturday morning. The volunteers welcomed shoppers and gave out lists of necessary items for the food drives, asking those who could afford to spare the money to donate food.

"It really makes you feel good," said 9th grader Alexis De La Cruz. "I think it's nice for the people in our community to know that they have someone looking out for them."

After the food drive, East Meadow Kiwanis volunteers will gather at W.T. Clarke High School on Friday to sort the donations into "food baskets" for each family, according to Steinmetz. East Meadow Kiwanis will then buy 122 frozen turkeys, one for each family, to be distributed on Saturday.

"I load my truck up with all the turkeys," Steinmetz said proudly.

Steinmetz, with the help of other Kiwanians, will deliver the food baskets to the East Meadow families.

 "For me, it's all in the look on the family's face," said Christina Principato, Key Club Secretary for Clarke. "I love to do this."

The Kiwanis volunteers all acknowledge that it is their duty to give back to the community they belong to. Members recognize that the number of food baskets has grown annually, and that now more than ever it's important for all families to enjoy a holiday dinner, even if they couldn't afford one on their own.

"We want each family to have a happy holiday meal," said Kiwanis member Kevin Kamper. "It's all about that this time of year."