Nearly 300,000 Long Islanders – an estimated one in 10 – rely on food pantries, soup kitchens and other emergency food programs for their nutritional needs. Last school year, nearly one in four Long Island students qualified for free or reduced-price school meals.

Alleviation of hunger will take a resolution-focused, holistic and collaborative approach, one that addresses socioeconomic disparities, the lack of access to nutritious foods in low-income communities and low participation rates of eligible children in available government nutrition assitance programs; improves the availability and access to these programs; increases funding to enhance and expand nutritious education; and expands asset-building, financial services and education. Accomplishing the basic human right that all people have access to the nutritious foods needed to lead healthy lives will take on a collective effort between the federal, state and local governments; schools; community organizations; nonprofit groups; businesses; and individuals.

It is because of these realities that HWCLI is spearheading the Long Island Anti-Hunger Initiative. LIAH is a compilation of health and human service -- public and private -- agencies, community-based organizations, governmental agencies and individuals committed to creating innovative, effective and sustainable solutions to alleviate hunger on Long Island through systemic and policy strategies.