Budget-tightening measures by households across Long Island reached a fever pitch during spring 2020. The ongoing global health crisis forced millions of Americans to double down on savings efforts wherever possible due to fears about their health, housing and employment prospects.
With this shared sacrifice in mind, the Holtsville, New York-headquartered electrical contracting company Eldor recently made a significant contribution to food security operation Long Island Cares.
Stepping Up to the Plate
The May 5 donation of $15,000 from Eldor to Long Island Cares came with best wishes from the entire team, “including many employees that live and work on Long Island,” according to a joint letter signed by Nicolaus Feldmann, Kurt Feldmann and Keith Feldmann, Eldor’s president and vice presidents, respectively. The letter from Eldor that accompanied the $15,000 donation also shares the electrical company’s hope that Long Island Cares will use the funds to continue its mission of serving the hungry, “especially during these tough times.”
Indeed, Long Island Cares has seen its need skyrocket during the past few months and its vision of a hunger-free Long Island became a call to arms during the COVID-19 crisis. On its social media page, the Hauppauge, New York non-profit group has shared photos of volunteers preparing thousands of boxes of food to be delivered to those facing food insecurity. Recent local news articles have also highlighted efforts by Long Island Cares, including the rapid opening of an emergency food bank in Glen Cove to help those struggling in Nassau County.
Serving the Same Community
The present need at the local level is undeniable and Eldor is proud to operate alongside a group as charitable as Long Island Cares, which has a rich history of stepping up to the plate when New Yorkers are hungry. The non-profit was founded in 1980 by late Grammy Award-winner and social activist, Harry Chapin. It was the first food bank on Long Island at that time and has since grown to support some 580 other member agencies and helps to distribute six million pounds of food annually. Despite these best efforts, the need remains: Statistics show that “74 percent of the Long Island households served by emergency food programs” are also food-insecure and 39 percent of those on Long Island who receive food donations are under the age of 18. With heads of household sidelined by the coronavirus, now is the time to step and help those who make ends meet; Eldor saw it fit to accomplish exactly that.
Eldor has been synonymous with electrical jobs on Long Island since its founding in the late 1970s and current projects come from the private, government and corporate sectors. Today, the company that is comprised of both an electrical division and solar energy arm provides services across New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. As an essential business, during the pandemic Eldor continues to provide its important electrical infrastructure services to various clients within its geographic footprint.
In its letter to Long Island Cares, Eldor goes on to thank the non-profit for all its efforts. It is this shared sense of responsibility that will allow those living on Long Island to weather the current storm while not having to worry about where their next meal is coming from.