In a little over two weeks, Nov. 20 to be exact, the Islanders will play their first-ever game at the new UBS Arena at Belmont Park. That’s just five days before Thanksgiving, a time when many families are celebrating – but others on Long Island can’t afford to have a quality dinner, and that situation has worsened during the pandemic.
Always champions in the community, the Islanders have partnered with Stop & Shop on a three-year community initiative that kicked off on Thursday in the parking lot of UBS Arena, just an Anders Lee slap shot away from the Isles’ new home.
“Turkey Express” is a Stop & Shop brand-wide program that distributes more than 21,500 turkeys to hunger relief organizations in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Thursday’s event provided 2,000 Thanksgiving turkeys, 1,000 each to Island Harvest and Long Island Cares, and Islanders alumni were on hand to take part, as were Isles mascot Sparky and Monte, the Islanders’ new “Puppy with a Purpose” guide dog.
“Being on Long Island as long as I have, I’m very familiar with Island Harvest and Long Island Cares,” said Islanders legend Clark Gillies, a resident of Huntington and a Hockey Hall of Famer who played on all four Islanders Stanley Cup Championship teams. “It’s great to be here. It’s my favorite time of year, Thanksgiving and Christmas, and to be able to be here to help out today for some people who are a little less fortunate and can’t afford these turkeys, it’s great to be able to help.”
Gillies was joined at the event by former Islanders defenseman Eric Cairns and former Islanders forward Steve Webb.
“It’s good to see the alumni that live on Long Island,” said Webb, who played eight seasons for the Islanders and currently lives in Suffolk County. “Sometimes we see the need all over the Island when we’re out there with our kids and seeing different areas of the Island.”
“It means a lot to come here and try to help out and do our part trying to get people some good food,” said Cairns, the current Islanders Director of Player Development and a resident of Brightwaters. “To be able to do it in front of the new building is so exciting. It’s a fun time to be around and try to help out.”
Island Harvest and Long Island Cares combine to serve approximately 300,000 people on Long Island each year. According to those two organizations, one in six children on Long Island are food insecure, while childhood food insecurity rates on Long Island are increasing by 26 percent as compared to pre-pandemic levels.
The Turkey Express is just one way that the Islanders and Stop & Shop will be teaming up to give back to the community as part of their partnership.
“It’s really rooted in the community so this is kind of the kickoff of that partnership,” said Stefanie Shuman, Community Relations Manager for Stop & Shop stores in New York and New Jersey. “We’re doing many things together.”
Also this season, Stop & Shop will donate 100 meals to Island Harvest for every assist that the Islanders record at home. There is also the “Shop with an Islander” program that will see a family in need pair with Islanders alumni to shop for holiday meals.
“Everything we do is rooted with giving back,” said Shuman.
The Islanders will soon hear the cheers from 17,000 fans at UBS Arena. Thanks to their partnership with Stop & Shop, they will also be making many residents of Long Island just a bit happier for the next three years with initiatives that the community can cheer about.
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