All Donations, Including a $100,000 Grant by NYCB, Will Benefit Veterans and Military Families on Long Island Through the Operation: HOPE Mobile Services Program

WESTBURY, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- New York Community Bank and Island Harvest Food Bank today announced that they will once again host their annual Veterans Day food drive in support of Operation: HOPE – a program that assists veterans and the families of active duty personnel deployed overseas who are in need of food assistance.

This year’s drive will take place on Veterans Day – Saturday, November 11th between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. For the first time, the event will be held at NYCB LIVE, Home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, with food collection taking place on the plaza near the main entrance to the Coliseum, adjacent to the eternal flame memorial and reflecting pool. Those who would like to contribute should enter the parking lot via Hempstead Turnpike. Donations of frozen turkeys, nonperishable food items (canned and dry goods – no glass, please), personal healthcare items, and supermarket gift cards are all welcome.

In addition to collections that day, donations will be accepted at all New York Community Bank branches on Long Island during the month of November, and patrons attending events at the Coliseum over the next week will be able to drop off their donations there as well. Collection bins will be located at several entry points to the Coliseum during the following events: Bob Dylan Concert – November 8th; Long Island Nets – November 9th; and Maryland vs. Stony Brook – November 10th.

In 2016, the first annual Veterans Day food drive collected more than 300 turkeys and 10,000 pounds of food, all of which were distributed to veterans in Nassau and Suffolk counties in time for the holidays. The event attracted scores of volunteers, both young and old, and represented people from all walks of life in the community.

“NYCB was proud that last year’s event was the largest one-day turkey and trimmings drive in Long Island’s history aimed at helping veterans in need. Now with a more visable, accessible location, thanks to our partners at NYCB LIVE, we expect to significantly exceed last year’s record collection and help even more veterans and service member families than ever before,” said Kelly Leung, Senior Vice President, New York Community Bank.

A $100,000 grant from NYCB to Island Harvest Food Bank will help sustain the program well beyond the holiday season. Island Harvest Food Bank staff, along with volunteers, many of whom are veterans, deliver food and supplies to the doors of Long Island veterans and their families two days a week throughout the year. Using volunteers who have served in the armed forces helps foster a better understanding and provides comfort for those receiving aid since the person coming to their home is someone who can personally relate to the experiences of those veterans who are struggling financially or otherwise.

“Those who have served our nation in combat often face exceptional obstacles readjusting to civilian life. These challenges may range from severe physical injuries to post-traumatic stress disorder, health issues, or even to finding employment. Families of those serving, as well as those who made the ultimate sacrifice, often have difficulties making ends meet. Some may bear the psychological scars of extended absences or the loss of a loved one. The objective of our Operation: HOPE initiative is to help move veterans and their families from uncertainty to stability,” said Randi Shubin Dresner, President and CEO of Island Harvest Food Bank.

About New York Community Bancorp, Inc.

One of the largest U.S. bank holding companies, with assets of $48.5 billion, New York Community Bancorp, Inc. is a leading producer of multi-family loans on non-luxury, rent-regulated apartment buildings in New York City, and the parent of New York Community Bank and New York Commercial Bank. With deposits of $28.9 billion and 255 branches in Metro New York, New Jersey, Florida, Ohio, and Arizona, the Company also ranks among the largest depositories in the United States.

Reflecting its growth through a series of acquisitions, the Community Bank currently operates through seven local divisions, each with a history of service and strength: Queens County Savings Bank, Roslyn Savings Bank, Richmond County Savings Bank, and Roosevelt Savings Bank in New York; Garden State Community Bank in New Jersey; Ohio Savings Bank in Ohio; and AmTrust Bank in Florida and Arizona. Similarly, New York Commercial Bank currently operates 18 of its 30 New York-based branches under the divisional name Atlantic Bank. Additional information about the Company and its bank subsidiaries is available at www.myNYCB.com and www.NewYorkCommercialBank.com.

About Island Harvest Food Bank

Island Harvest Food Bank is a leading hunger-relief organization that provides food and other resources to people in need. Always treating those it helps with dignity and respect, its goal is to end hunger and reduce food waste on Long Island through efficient food collection and distribution; enhanced hunger-awareness and nutrition-education programs; job training; and direct services targeted at children, senior citizens, veterans, and others at risk of food insecurity. As a result of Island Harvest Food Bank’s dynamic business model, more than 94 percent of expended resources go directly to programs and services that support over 316,000 Long Islanders facing hunger. Island Harvest Food Bank is a lead agency in the region’s emergency response preparedness for food and product distribution, and is a member of Feeding America^®, the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief organization. Island Harvest is a four-star-rated nonprofit by Charity Navigator, an independent charity watchdog organization. More information can be found at www.islandharvest.org.

Fact Sheet

• More than 316,000 Long Islanders face the risk of hunger every day, according to Island Harvest Food Bank and Feeding America^®, a national hunger-relief organization. Those facing hunger include adults (often working two jobs), children, senior citizens, and veterans. Unable to make ends meet, they (and their children) are often forced to go without food.
• Approximately 70,000 individuals seek food assistance in Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island each week through soup kitchens, food pantries, and other feeding programs served by Island Harvest Food Bank.
• Long Island has the second largest veteran population in the United States (14 percent of the residents of Nassau and Suffolk counties have served in the country’s military).
• Food insecurity is a state in which people do not get enough food on a consistent basis to provide the nutrients for active and healthy lives. It can result from the recurrent lack of access to food. Among veterans and their families, food insecurity is a trend that unfortunately has grown as thousands of veterans return home from overseas each year.
• NYCB contributes $100,000 per year to Island Harvest to sustain the Operation: HOPE program financially. In addition, NYCB employees (and their friends and families) provide hundreds of volunteer hours – both collecting and distributing food throughout the year.
• During the last 18 months, Island Harvest served 1,314 veterans and their family members through the Operation: HOPE program by distributing “packs,” each containing a one-month supply of food. This is in addition to providing nearly 60,000 meals and a total of more than 70,000 pounds of healthy food and non-food products.

Source: New York Community Bancorp, Inc.