NARI Cares – Helping Island Harvest Renovate Their New Home

 

NARI Cares, the charitable arm of the NYC/LI NARI Chapter, was contacted this past summer by Habitat for Humanity about Island Harvest, an amazing local organization that needed NARI members’ help and expertise.

After 25 years in their Mineola location, the offices of the Island Harvest Food Bank were being forced to relocate to a very dated building that was originally a Grumman facility in Bethpage. Island Harvest needed NARI’s help to make their new facility operational so they could continue to assist the 316,000 Long Islanders who live daily with hunger.

The space, which has a storied history – it’s where the secret work of developing the F-14 Tomcat fighter aircraft was carried out – required demolition, wall framing, drywall, tape & spackling, a few doors, a new suspended ceiling and flooring.

“We are so grateful for NARI’s genuine support in getting this space ready for our new offices. We have been able to open up with a renewed sense of strength in order to carry out our work on behalf of those most vulnerable among us,” said Randi Shubin Dresner, Island Harvest President & CEO.

In addition to providing skilled labor, NYC/LI NARI members KAMCO, Family Lumber and QRP Construction Inc., donated spackle, drywall and ceiling tile to the project. “Once again, our members have volunteered their time to make our community a better place,” said John Hogan, Chairman of the NYC/LI NARI Board and Community Service Committee. “Our goal is to work with other charitable organizations that may also need our help,” he added.