Island Harvest Launches ‘Text to Donate’ to Help Sandy Victims

Thousands of people are still suffering from the devastation left by superstorm Sandy’s wrath.

Sadly, many of those affected were without fresh food and water due to the widespread loss of electricity or homes. In response to the storm, Mineola-based Island Harvest has been working to provide much needed food and water to thousands of people, thanks to loads of donated items and help from volunteers. While the greatest need is monetary contributions, Island Harvest has kicked off a Text to Donate campaign to help augment financial donations and get much needed food and supplies to those Long Island communities still impacted and in dire need.

In the Text to Donate effort, anyone across the country can support Island Harvest’s cause by texting the words HUNGER RELIEF to 266266 to make a donation.

A list of donations ranging from $10 to $500 appears on the screen. Once an option is selected, the user is linked up to the donation process. More than 95 percent of every dollar donated to Island Harvest goes directly toward hunger relief efforts.

“There are so many people who would like to lend a hand in the hurricane hunger relief effort, but don’t know how,” Island Harvest  president Randi Shubin Dresner said in a statement. “Here is an easy way to support our emergency and hunger relief work, which will help hundreds of families and residents, who are still suffering on Long Island and beyond. Together, we will make a difference in their lives.” 

Island Harvest is spreading the word about Text to Donate using social media in a sound-off campaign to Doners can also share their thoughts after they text a donation by visiting Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to complete a sentence with a special message describing why they donated.