Mercy Hospital Donates 22,000 Pounds Of Food To Community

ROCKVILLE CENTRE, NY — Helping feed the hungry, Catholic Health's Mercy Hospital is distributing 22,000 pounds of food to area non-profit agencies.

The food will go directly to combat food insecurity across Long Island, the hospital said in a statement.

Using a grant from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, Mercy staffers put together 1,200 bags of perishable and non-perishable items. They will get shipped to 10 Nassau County organizations.

The hospital said each household is expected to receive two bags — one perishable and one non-perishable — large enough to feed a family of four for a week.

"The communities we serve are an extension of who we are at Mercy," Peter Scaminaci, president at Catholic Health’s Mercy Hospital, said in a statement. "Therefore, I’m am extremely grateful to Mother Cabrini for allowing us to provide food access to families who might be struggling to put food on the table."

The two bags totalling 37 pounds will include pasta, beans, rice, fruits and vegetables. Families will also receive disinfecting wipes, the hospital said.

"With food insecurity on the rise, given the current climate, I am hopeful that initiatives like this one will help us to continue to combat the issue locally," Scaminaci said.