Huntington Station Resident Named 'Woman Of Distinction'

HUNTINGTON STATION, NY — Reverend Kim Gambino, of Huntington Station, was named the "Woman of Distinction" in the Suffolk County 18th Legislative District, according to a news release from Legislator William Spencer's Office.

Gambino is the president and pastor of Helping Hand Rescue Mission. Each year during Women's History Month, the Suffolk County Legislature honors noteworthy women throughout the county. Spencer recently visited Gambino to thank her for the work she does throughout the Town of Huntington.

"No undertaking is ever too much for Reverend Kim," Spencer said in a news release. "She is a dynamo who fills her time valuably, as well as humbly. She is very unassuming and does all of this without any fanfare. For all of these reasons, I have chosen Reverend Kim Gambino as the 2021 'Woman of Distinction' for the 18th Legislative District."

Gambino has dedicated her life to serving families who are struggling to make ends meet through her work with Helping Hand Rescue Mission — Long Island’s first Mission, which was founded by her parents and grandmother in 1965. Hundreds of local families are supported through the programs coordinated by Gambino and her volunteers each year. Food, clothing, household items and support are a few things that Gambino offers with unconditional love, friendship, and spiritual guidance, according to Spencer.

Gambino also organizes holiday outreaches, fundraisers and programs for babies and at-risk youth to try and help them achieve a better life and better chance at living. She answers any need she sees.

When the coronavirus pandemic caused nationwide shutdowns in March 2020, Gambino led her organization to meet the intensified hardship within the community. Helping Hand Rescue Mission regularly helps three times as many families as it served in 2019, according to Spencer. In 2020 alone, the Mission distributed more than 11,000 parcels of non-perishables — equal to more than 245 tons of food — and 4,000 USDA boxes that provided milk, eggs, cheese, meat, fresh fruit and vegetables. This does not include the hot meals the Mission provided four days a week during the height of the pandemic.

For the holidays, the Mission provided 1,000 families with turkeys and holiday food, distributed toys to 850 children and also gave new toys to 13 other Long Island agencies which in turn gifted toys to 2,150 more children. Through the Baby Blessings program, more than 45,000 diapers were distributed to families with babies in the Huntington community last year.

Pastor Dan Rivera from Huntington Assembly of God shared his thoughts on Reverend Kim receiving the honor.

"Huntington Station has been hit hard by the coronavirus causing the basic needs of our neighbors to surge as the virus quickly spread," Rivera said via Spencer's office's news release. "Throughout the dark days, Kim Gambino has been a light in our community that reflects, love, unity, hard work and commitment. She loves not only with her words, but with her actions. Kim has worked tirelessly to support hundreds of families and individuals in the community by providing for their nutritional needs as well as their emotional and spiritual needs. Our community can easily express the great things she does in public every single day, but the most powerful attribute about Kim is that even when no one is watching, she remains the same and simply loves. She is a reflection of a great love from above and we are blessed to have her in beautiful Huntington Station."

Gambino lives in Huntington Station with her husband, Andrew, and their blended family of five children. Her hobbies include writing, cooking and spending time with her family, including their Doodle, Einstein.

The 18th Legislative District encompasses the northern portion of Huntington township and includes Cold Spring Harbor, Greenlawn, Lloyd Harbor, Huntington, Halesite, Huntington Bay, Centerport, Northport, Asharoken and Eaton's Neck. Its southern border includes a portion of Huntington Station, Elwood, and a small section of East Northport.