BETHPAGE, N.Y. — FourLeaf Federal Credit Union is reporting its annual Turkey Drive collected nearly 5,000 frozen turkeys and more than 23,000 pounds of food this year, helping Long Island families facing rising food insecurity ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.
The 17th annual event gathered 4,767 frozen turkeys, 23,162 pounds of food and $117,244 in donations for Island Harvest Food Bank. FourLeaf also contributed $50,000 directly to the food bank.
“Each year, the FourLeaf Turkey Drive reminds us of what’s possible when a community comes together,” FourLeaf President and CEO Linda Armyn said in a statement. “At a time when food insecurity continues to rise, these partnerships are essential, ensuring that families across our region can sit down to a Thanksgiving meal and feel the support of a caring community.”
Largest One-Day Event
Since its launch in 2008, the drive has become Long Island’s largest one-day food collection event, gathering nearly 60,000 turkeys and 290,000 pounds of food for Island Harvest. Donations benefit more than 300 food pantries, soup kitchens and hunger-relief programs across Nassau and Suffolk counties, the credit union said.
Island Harvest President and CEO Randi Shubin Dresner said the need is intensifying. Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap report showed 240,470 Long Islanders — including 44,520 children — experienced food insecurity in 2023, up 10% from the previous year.
Island Harvest expects to distribute a record 20 million pounds of food this year, surpassing even pandemic levels.
Part of Larger Program
FourLeaf said the effort is part of its FourLeaf Cares program, which focuses on community investment and initiatives that promote equity and strengthen neighborhoods across the region.
