By Sania Daniyal
COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on communities throughout the world. With the pandemic continuing to spread and millions of Americans still out of employment, one of the most urgent issues in the country has only worsened: hunger. The number of families facing food shortages had been slowly declining before the pandemic, but now, as global uncertainty and a health crisis take hold, recent statistics lead to some of the highest food insecurity rates in years for the United States.
The Nassau County Youth Council, under the leadership of their mentor junior Sydra Daniyal, organized a successful food drive after school on February 24, 2021. The food drive was conducted in partnership with Sewanhaka Central High School District, Islamic Center of Long Island (ICLI), Islamic Center of North America (ICNA), and Long Island Cares relief organizations.
Source from Sania Daniyal
Volunteers for the Nassau County Youth Council pose for a picture in the New Hyde Park Memorial parking lot. FRONT: Georgetown University freshman Nicolette Carrion and W.T. Clarke junior Ameil Cherisme. BACK: NHP sophomore Matthew Zatz, Westbury senior Alexa Boylan, Roslyn junior Nadia Abbas, NHP junior Sydra Daniyal, NHP junior Laaibah Shoaib, NHP junior Sara Dominic, and St. Anthony's sophomore Grant Boylan.
The food was distributed by Island Harvest and included about 80 boxes. Each box included three pounds of fresh produce, a gallon of milk, a container of oil, flour, yogurt, and protein.
“Hopefully, we were able to help some families with food tonight,” said Roslyn junior Hannah Abbas.
The food drive started at New Hyde Park Memorial’s parking lot at 3:30 p.m., and approximately 30 food boxes were distributed there. Then, the event continued as a mobile unit, and boxes were dropped off at a family shelter in Hempstead, a church in West Hempstead, and at a community shelter in Westbury. All of the 80 food boxes were distributed by 6:30 p.m.
There was a collective spirit of engagement and dedication noted amongst the student volunteers. The volunteers and organizers were very grateful to the relief organizations as well as the school district for enabling, promoting, and supporting this event.
“This was an amazing event to help out the community in this desperate time of need,” said junior Sydra Daniyal.
Source from Sania Daniyal
In front of a West Hempstead church, boxes filled with various food items are ready to be distributed to communities in need.