CHASING THE DREAM: FOOD BANKS FACE UNPRECEDENTED DEMAND

> WELCOME TO 'METROFOCUS,' I AM JACK FORD.

WITH UNEMPLOYMENT SURGING, AMIDST THE ECONOMIC TURMOIL CAUSED BY THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC, MANY NEW YORKERS ARE FINDING IT DIFFICULT TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE, AND AS A CONSEQUENCE, MANY OF THE REGIONAL FOOD BANKS ARE FACED WITH AN UNPRECEDENTED DEMAND.

ISLAND HARVEST FOOD BANK, WHICH IS ONE OF THE LEADING HUNGER RELIEF ORGANIZATIONS LOCATED ON LINED HAS BEEN WORKING HEROICALLY IN CONJUNCTION WITH STATE AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES, VOLUNTEERS, PARTNERSHIPS, INCLUDING A RECENT PARTNERSHIP WITH ROCK STAR JOHN BON JOVI TO PROVIDE FOOD AND RESOURCES TO THOSE IN NEED.

AND WE ARE HAPPY TO WELCOME BACK RANDY SHUBIN DRESNER ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

LET'S ESTABLISH THE SCOPE OF THIS PROBLEM, IF WE CAN, AND TO DO THAT, LET ME ASK YOU TO COMPARE SOME NUMBERS.

TELL US APPROXIMATELY HOW MANY MEALS YOUR ORGANIZATION HAS PROVIDED SINCE LET'S SAY THIS PAST MARCH, A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN TWO MONTHS, AND COMPARE THAT TO WHAT THE NUMBER WOULD BE SIMILAR TIME A DIFFERENT YEAR.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC THAT NO ONE WOULD HAVE ANTICIPATED, AND SO IF YOU COMPARE THIS YEAR TO THE SAME TIME LAST YEAR WE'RE PROVIDING ABOUT 1.7 MILLION MORE MEALS IN THE SAME PERIOD OF TIME.

IT'S JUST ASTONISHING.

AND IN TERMS OF THOSE WHO ARE THE RECIPIENTS, WHAT ARE YOU SEEING AMONGST THEM IN TERMS OF HOW MANY ARE FIRST TIME RECIPIENTS?

SO, LOOK, THE WHOLE WORLD IS SHUT DOWN, AND CERTAINLY ALL OF LONG ISLAND, WHICH IS OUR SERVICE AREA.

THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THIS PANDEMIC HAS LITERALLY IMPACTED EVERYBODY ON LONG ISLAND, AND SO WHAT WE ARE FINDING IS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE LOOKING FOR FOOD ARE FIRST TIME, NEVER HAVING BEEN ON A FOOD LINE BEFORE, AND IN FACT, SOME OF THEM WERE CONTRIBUTORS TO ISLAND HARVEST IN THE PAST AND MAYBE EVEN A VOLUNTEER.

AND SO WHAT WE'RE FINDING ARE THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FOOD LINE THAT HAD NEVER EVER EXPECTED TO BE THERE BEFORE, AND THE TRUTH IS IT'S VERY HUMBLING.

IF YOU'VE NEVER ASKED FOR FOOD, TO STAND ON A LINE FOR AN HOUR OR TWO HOURS AND WAITING IS JUST AN UNBELIEVABLE EXPERIENCE, AND LOOK, WE JUST -- I JUST CAME BACK FROM A DISTRIBUTION JUST ABOUT AN HOUR AGO.

WE HAD TO TURN PEOPLE AWAY, AND WE ARE AT ALMOST EVERY ONE OF OUR DISTRIBUTIONS, AND THE LINES GO ON.

WE FIND THAT PEOPLE ARE WAITING SOMETIMES ONE AND TWO AND THREE HOURS, WALKERS AND IN CARS.

LET'S TALK ALSO ABOUT HOW YOUR ENTIRE STRUCTURE HAS HAD TO CHANGE BECAUSE OF THIS.

SO ONCE AGAIN, GIVE US AN IDEA OF WHERE YOU USED TO ACQUIRE YOUR FOOD, FROM WHAT SOURCES, HOW THAT HAS NOW CHANGED, AND HOW YOU HAVE HAD TO ADAPT AND CHANGE YOUR MIND.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE THE LARGEST HUNGER RELIEF ORGANIZATION ON LONG ISLAND.

WE'VE BEEN IN THAT PLACE FOR A LONG TIME, AND WE'VE DONE IT IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

OUR MODEL IS SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT.

TYPICALLY, WHEN THERE'S NO PANDEMIC, WE'RE ABOUT 85% OF OUR PRODUCT IS DONATED PRODUCT, AND THE REMAINDER IS FOOD THAT WE PURCHASED BECAUSE WE'VE GOTTEN GRANTS THAT ARE RESTRICTED FOR US TO BUY THE FOOD.

WHEN YOU SAY DONATED -- WHEN YOU SAY DONATED, TELL US ABOUT WHERE THEY WOULD COME FROM?

SURE, THAT 85% WOULD NORMALLY COME FROM WHOLESALERS, DISTRIBUTORS, FARMS, WE GET A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PRODUCT FROM FARMS AND SUPERMARKETS AND OTHER RETAILERS.

AND THAT HAS BEEN OUR MAINSTAY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, AND IT'S BEEN -- IT WORKS WELL FOR US, BUT AS SOON AS THE PANDEMIC HIT, EVERYTHING CHANGED FOR US.

IMAGINE -- IF YOU REMEMBER BACK IN THE BEGINNING OF MARCH WHEN THE PANDEMIC HIT, EVERYBODY WENT TO THE SUPERMARKETS AND IT'S DIFFERENT THAN IT NORMALLY IS, SAY, FOR A HURRICANE BECAUSE THAT'S A PERIOD OF TIME BUT THIS HAPPENED VERY SUDDENLY.

THERE WASN'T A LOT OF PLANNING.

THE SUPERMARKETS EMPTIED QUICKLY.

THEY TURNED TO THEIR DISTRIBUTORS.

THE DISTRIBUTORS RAN OUT VERY QUICKLY TO SUPPORT THE SUPERMARKETS AND THE RETAILERS, AND THEN THE WHOLESALERS THAT HELPED THE DISTRIBUTORS RAN OUT VERY QUICKLY, SO THE WHOLE FOOD CHAIN WAS DIMINISHED VERY, VERY QUICKLY, AND THE FOOD BANKS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WERE SORT OF JUST SITTING THERE BECAUSE OUR SUPPLIERS WERE OUT, AND THERE WAS NO END IN SIGHT.

SO WHERE ARE YOU NOW GETTING THOSE FOOD SUPPLIES TO HELP THESE PEOPLE?

WELL, IN THE BEGINNING, THE BEGINNING PART OF MARCH, WE REACHED OUT TO A NUMBER OF DISTRIBUTORS THAT WE HAD RELATIONSHIPS WITH, AND THEY CREATED WHAT WE CALL FAMILY FOOD BOXES.

SO WHEN THERE WAS HURRICANE SANDY AND OTHER DISASTERS THAT WE RESPONDED TO IN THE PAST, THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST WAY THAT WE WOULD GO, AND SO IT WOULD BE A BOX OF FOOD FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR FOR PROBABLY ABOUT THREE OR FOUR DAYS, AND IT WOULD BE CANNED FOODS.

IT WOULD BE PACKAGED FOODS LIKE RICE OR PASTA, CEREAL, WHATEVER IT MAY BE.

WITHIN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, ALL OF THOSE DISTRIBUTORS THAT CREATED THOSE BOXES RAN OUT BECAUSE ALL OF THE FOOD BANKS AND OTHER FOOD PROGRAMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WERE GOING TO THE SAME SOURCES, SO WHAT WE DID WAS PLANNED A LITTLE BIT AHEAD.

WE REACHED OUT AS FAR AS WE COULD BECAUSE WE KNEW THAT MONEY WAS GOING TO COME IN TO HELP US WITH NEW PURCHASES, AND WE REACHED OUT TO BUY PALELETIZED TRUCKLOADS OF SINGLE SOURCE PRODUCTS, SO WE'D BUY A TRUCKLOAD OF BEANS, A TRUCKLOAD OF VEGETABLES, A TRUCKLOAD OF FRUIT, AND WE STARTED TO CREATE OUR OWN MEAL BOXES.

WE GOT DONATED WAREHOUSE SPACE.

WE GOT THE CIVIL AIR PATROL, TEAM RUBICON, WHICH ARE RETIRED VETERANS, OFFICERS OF THE POLICE AND A NUMBER OF OTHER GROUPS LIKE THAT, THEY CAME IN AND HELPED US, AND WITHIN NO TIME AT ALL, WE CREATED 15, 20,000 OF OUR OWN FAMILY BOXES.

AND SO NOW THAT'S BECOMING A NEW BUSINESS MODEL FOR ISLAND HARVEST.

WE'RE NOW REACHING OUT TO A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY GROUPS, AND WE'RE OFFERING OUR BOXES FOR A SMALL FEE, AND NOW WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'VE CREATED TWO OR THREE DIFFERENT SIDE BOXES FOR THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF GROUPS.

LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT SOME OF THESE RELATIONSHIPS YOU HAD.

JUST A REMINDER, I'M TALKING WITH THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF ISLAND HARVEST FOOD BANK, AN ORGANIZATION THAT HAS DONE MARVELOUS WORK FOR SO MANY YEARS.

YOU MENTIONED THE DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT ARE PARTICIPATING HERE.

GIV GIVE US A SENSE OF WHAT SORT OF ASSISTANCE IS BEING PROVIDED FROM THE STATE AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES.

SO LOCALLY NASSAU COUNTY HAS -- WE'VE ENTERED INTO A CONTRACT WITH NASSAU COUNTY AND WE'RE WORKING RIGHT NOW IN FINALIZING A CONTRACT WITH SUFFOLK COUNTY, AND WE ARE GOING AROUND TO SELECT COMMUNITIES DOING -- NOW WE'RE CONSIDERING THE MID SIZE FOOD DISTRIBUTION, SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WE CURRENTLY HAVE A CONTRACT TO GO TO TEN DIFFERENT DHCOMMUNITIES IN NASS COUNTY, AND WE'RE AVERAGES ABOUT A THOUSAND RESIDENTS FROM THOSE COMMUNITIES TO COME TO THE DISTRIBUTION.

THE PRODUCT WE'RE GIVING OUT IS ROBUST, SO IT'S A BOX OF CANNED FOOD, PACKAGED FOOD IS INSIDE IT.

WE'RE GIVING THREE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PRODUCE, A GALLON OF MILK, MEAT, CHEESE, YOGURT, AND SOMETIMES MEAT.

SO IT'S A LOT OF PRODUCT THAT THEY'RE GETTING.

IT'S ABOUT 25, 30 POUNDS.

USUALLY IT CAN HELP A FAMILY FOR ABOUT A WEEK.

AND SO WE DO ABOUT TWO TO THREE OF THESE DISTRIBUTIONS EVERY WEEK, AND AS SOON AS WE CONNECT WITH SUFFOLK COUNTY, WE'LL PROBABLY BE OUT THREE TO FOUR TIMES A WEEK.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE SCHOOLS IN EACH OF THE COMMUNITIES ARE DOING WHAT THEY CALL GRAB AND GO'S.

IT'S A CONTRACT THEY HAVE WITH THE STATE, BUT THE GRAB AND GO ONLY HELPS THAT ONE PARTICULAR CHILD OF THE SCHOOL, AND SO WE COME IN AND SUPPORT THE SCHOOL WITH PRODUCT THAT THEY CAN GIVE OUT TO THE WHOLE FAMILY BECAUSE OTHERWISE THE CHILD GOES HOME WITH THAT SANDWICH AND THEY'RE EATING IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY ELSE IN THEIR FAMILY.

RIGHT, RIGHT.

SO WE'RE ABLE TO SUPPLEMENT THAT.

AND THEN DID ISSUE.

WONDERFUL, LET ME KNOW QUICKLY THE STATE LEVEL.

SO THE STATE, GOVERNOR CUOMO CAME UP WITH A NEW PROGRAM THAT WE LOVE CALLED NOURISH NEW YORK.

THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT THE FARMERS AND DISTRIBUTORS SUDDENLY LOST THEIR BUSINESS BECAUSE THEY WERE SELLING MOSTLY TO RESTAURANTS AND SCHOOLS, AND WE AT THE FOOD BANKS WERE LOOKING FOR A LOT OF GOOD, HEALTHY NUTRITIOUS FOOD, SO HE RELEASED $25 MILLION TO THE FOOD BANKS ACROSS NEW YORK STATE, AND WE ARE USING THAT FOOD TO BUY NOURISH NEW YORK PRODUCTS, SO IT'S CHEESES AND DAIRY PRODUCT, YOGURT, AND MILK, MEAT, AND INCREDIBLY GREAT PRODUCE.

SO WE'RE NOW MAKING LARGE PURCHASES WITHIN OUR STATE, HELPING OUR FARMERS, BUT ALSO HELPING THE RESIDENTS OF THE STATE.

IT'S A GENIUS PROGRAM AND WE LOVE IT.

IT'S TIGHTENING UP THE CIRCLE, AND EVERYBODY HELPING EVERYBODY WITHIN THAT CIRCUMCIRCLE.

I MENTIONED IN THE INTRODUCTION A RELATIONSHIP THAT YOU CREATED WITH JOHN BON JOVI.

TELL ME HOW THAT CAME ABOUT AND HOW THAT WILL PLAY OUT.

I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO TELL YOU HOW EXCITED WE ARE WITH THIS ASSOCIATION.

JOHN AND HIS WIFE DARCIA REACHED OUT TO ME PROBABLY ABOUT A MONTH AGO.

THEY HEARD THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THE EAST END OF LONG ISLAND WHO WERE STRUGGLING WITH FOOD INSECURITY SUDDENLY.

THEY HAVE LIVED ON THE EAST END OF LONG ISLAND FOR ABOUT 15 YEARS, THEY HAVE A HEOME THERE, AND THEY REALLY CARE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY.

THEY REACHED OUT TO US FOR OUR EXPERTISE IN HELPING THEM SET UP A PROGRAM WHERE HE KNEW THAT A MINIMUM OF 5,000 RESIDENTS OUT THERE WOULD GET FOOD EVERY MONTH.

THEY IDENTIFIED A SITE.

WE HELPED THEM FIND A COUPLE OF STAFF PEOPLE TO GET SET UP.

WE GAVE THEM THE EXPERTISE ABOUT HOW TO ACTUALLY SET UP THE FOOD BANK AND THE FOOD PROGRAM.

WE MADE CONNECTIONS WITH THEM WITH ABOUT FIVE OR SIX OF OUR MEMBER AGENCIES OUT ON THE EAST END, AND NOW THERE'S A REGULAR PROGRAM GOING ON WHERE THEY'RE DISTRIBUTING THIS FOOD, AND PEOPLE ARE GETTING FED OUT ON THE EAST END, AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU, THEY ARE SO INTO THIS PROGRAM.

THEY REALLY BELIEVE IN IT.

YEAH, THEY ARE -- I KNOW THEM A BIT.

I'VE DONE SOME WORK WITH THEM WITH SOME CHARITIES.

THEY'RE WONDERFUL PEOPLE WHO DO WONDERFUL WORK.

LAST QUESTION FOR YOU HERE.

IF SOMEBODY'S WATCHING OUR CONVERSATION RIGHT NOW AND THEY'RE SAYING THIS IS SUCH A GOOD CAUSE, WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP?

WHAT'S THE ANSWER?

WELL, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE STRANGE TIMES.

SO THE FIRST THING I WOULD SAY IS CONTRIBUTIONS TO ISLAND HARVEST ARE IMPORTANT, NOT JUST FOR RIGHT NOW BUT FOR THE LONG-TERM.

WE'RE IN THIS RESPONSE MODE, THIS RECOVERY MODE FOR PROBABLY 18 MONTHS TO TWO YEARS.

WE SEE DOING THESE KINDS OF DISTRIBUTIONS FOR A VERY LONG PERIOD OF TIME, AND SO FUNDING WILL HELP US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE IN IT FOR THE LONG HAUL AND THAT FUNDING WILL CASCADE INTO A NUMBER OF NEW PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE DEVELOPING AND TO MAKE SURE WE CAN STRENGTHEN OUR EMERGENCY RESOURCE CENTER.

WE WILL BE OPENING UP OUR VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES SOON, AND THERE ARE WAYS FOR VOLUNTEERS OR PROSPECTIVE VOLUNTEERS TO REGISTER ON OUR WEBSITE AND LEARN MORE ABOUT ACTIVITIES AS THEY COME UP, AND THEN LASTLY BS, SETTING UP FOOD DRIVES.

WE LOST A LOT OF FOOD DRIVES IN THE COMMUNITY, IN FACT 500 POUNDS SHORT OF COMMUNITY FOOD DRIVES.

SO ALL OF THAT CAN BE HELPFUL.

AGAIN, THE HEAD OF ISLAND HARVEST FOOD BANK DOING WONDERFUL WORK, YOU, ALL YOUR VOLUNTEERS, YOUR ORGANIZATION, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO TALKING WITH YOU AGAIN REAL SOON.

YOU BE WELL.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, JACK.

BYE.