UNIONDALE, N.Y (WCBS 880) — One food bank on Long Island is trying to break the Guinness Book of World Records for longest line of hunger relief packages.
At Island Harvest on Friday, WCBS 880’s Sophia Hall watched as volunteers lined up 1,800 packages of food. Each pack represented one child on Long Island that is given food for the weekend because their families are financially struggling.
Island Harvest CEO Randi Dresner said the current world record stands at 1,000 packages. She hopes that once the photos and documents are turned in, her organization can break the record while putting a spotlight on children who go hungry.
“Who would imagine that in a place like Long Island, where we have probably some of the wealthiest zip codes in the country, that there are so many children who are struggling with food insecurity,” Dresner notes.
She tells WCBS that food waste is a large issue on Long Island, and around the country.
“When we go to the supermarket, a lot of times were shopping with our stomachs and our eyes instead of really what we need. We tend to over buy, we wind up filling up our refrigerator, the product goes bad and we wind up throwing it away,” said Dresner.
How can you avoid food waste in your own home? The Island Harvest CEO says one way is to avoid over purchasing.
She says if there is a two for one special on a product, but you know you will only eat one package, donate the other or simply opt to buy one.
To find out more about Island Harvest or to donate, visit islandharvest.org.