Annual Turkey Drive Provides Holiday Meal for Hungry Families

By Lisa Chung November 22, 2011

Girl Scouts of Nassau and Suffolk Counties and Bethpage volunteers gathered to collect more than 3,700 turkeys and 15,000 pounds of food for families in need.

annual turkey drive bethpage

On November 16, community members banded together in Bethpage to collect 3,725 turkeys and 15,000 pounds of non-perishable food during the Third Annual Bethpage Turkey & Trimmings Drive to benefit Island Harvest, Long Island's largest hunger relief organization. This year, Island Harvest has received 40,000 requests for Thanksgiving turkeys.

"Hunger has become a year-round issue on Long Island," says Randi Shubin Dresner, president and CEO of Island Harvest, adding that this annual event is helping to make a difference in the lives of thousands of local families and individuals who "know the insidious effects of hunger all too well."

This island-wide effort was organized and supported by several local organizations, including Bethpage Federal Credit Union (BFCU), Cablevision, Newsday, NY Islanders, LI Radio Group, Coliseum Caterers, Girl Scouts of Nassau, and Girl Scouts of Suffolk.

Hundreds of Girl Scouts helped collect nonperishable donations by organizing drop-offs at Bethpage's branches, and each of them earned a Girl Scout patch for their efforts.

"Year after year, the Turkey Drive draws in hundreds of community volunteers in the collection of thousands of turkeys and tens of thousands of pounds of much needed food-an effort that illustrates Long Islanders' strong desire to support its neighbors," says Linda Armyn, senior vice president of corporate strategy at BFCU. Since the inaugural Turkey Drive in 2009, this event has provided Long Island's families in need with more than 10,000 turkeys and 27,000 pounds of food.

To learn more about the Turkey & Trimmings Drive, visit www.lovebethpage.com.