Fire Department Donates "Blessing Bus" To Community Relief Group

MIDDLE ISLAND, NY— Branches Long Island has been helping coordinate community relief efforts in Suffolk County for a year but now the nonprofit's job will be a lot easier, thanks to a donation of a bus from the Middle Island Fire Department. Branches Long Island was founded by Samantha Morales to help provide necessities, counseling and support to families in crises on Long Island.

Morales started out as a one-woman operation, connecting those who contacted her for help with donors and volunteers on Facebook. Now she has a small force of volunteers, and a mobile bus that will help them pick up donations and deliver needed items to families in Nassau and Suffolk Counties, she told Patch.

"Most of the items are brought to our center but a lot of stores call us with donations they are throwing away and we scramble for a truck. So now we can pick up the food and distribute [it] easier."

The Middle Island Fire Department worked on the bus before donating it to Branches and now the bus is dubbed "The Blessing Bus."

"To be able to go and bring food to areas most in need, seniors—it’s a game changer for us," Morales said.

Those in need contact Branches through their website, and the organization also does rounds of known homeless people who sometimes live in campers at campgrounds or even in the woods. Morales plans to load up the bus and visit weekly.

Anyone interested in donating can drop off physical items to the outreach center at 588 Middle Country Road in Middle Island or donate funds online.

"We are mobile. This opens up so many more opportunities for us and we are so grateful. So wherever you are, stop and happy dance with me."