LI Cares Expands To Store Overflowing Donations

 LI Cares has grown and swelled with the amount of donated food it’s received over the holiday season at a time many nonprofits are struggling. 

is expanding its storage to a temporary second warehouse off Motor Parkway. The nonprofit organization says increased corporate donations along with ongoing “green” renovations generated a need to seek additional space.

“We are doing what we’ve always done before, and those that know people needed foods opened up their hearts and said let me see what I can do,” LI Cares warehouse manager Frank Alfino said.

LI Cares estimated it has stored approximately 1.3 million pounds of frozen and non-perishable food on daily basis since November 2010. In addition, there are personal goods, school supplies, pet food and clothing, such as coats from Burlington Coat Factory's coat drive. Alfino said these items have created tight working conditions within their regular 25,000-square-foot warehouse.

“This is the first time we’ve had to do this. We were always able to managed with what we had, but there was such an abundance of donated product,” he said.

LI Cares Board member Deborah Herman, publisher of Building Long Island magazine, worked with Harry Stavros of Rechler Equity Partners to secure a donated used o f an additional 10,000 square feet of warehouse off Motor Parkway for a five-month period. 

“Needing additional warehouse space for even a temporary period in order to store our increasing donations is a great thing," said Executive Director Paule Pachter in a press statement.

Over the coming months, the accumulated donations will be sent out to LI Care's 560 member agencies, which are estimated to receive approximately 60 percent of their stock from the food bank. 

Alfino said LI Cares will evaluate its position in May when the donated space's lease ends, and evaluate whether it will continue to need additional space. If so, further more permanent expansion may be taken at that time.