Community Solidarity

Community Solidarity collects and shares free groceries directly with people in need and with other organizations that also share free necessities directly with people in need. Our food rescue distribution operations occurred every day in FY2023 despite the hardships of rising inflation weve worked with dozens of businesses who donated healthy groceries totaling over 13,847,976. lbs of food. In 2023 Community Solidarity directly shared free food with 17,000 - 17,250 people across Long Island and the NYC metropolitan area each week. Community Solidarity also shared groceries with dozens of local soup kitchens and community feeding programs. Furthermore many families coming to our distributions saved upwards of $120 a week off their grocery bills providing needed flexibility for those struggling in economic hardship. In addition our food relief programs focus on collecting and distributing healthy foods like fresh produce and whole-grain breads. This expense can be seen in Part IX column B: line 5 line 7 line 10 line 12 line 13 line 14 line 16 line 17 line 22 line 23 line 24a & d.

Community Solidarity collects and shares new used clothing and home goods for distribution directly to people in need across Long Island and the NYC metropolitan area. In 2023 Community Solidarity collected and distributed an estimated 98,820 items of clothing. These included thousands of winter jackets sweaters shoes hats socks jeans and dress clothes. Community Solidarity also distributed various home goods that included items like personal computers blankets and towels. This also includes over 232,740 pounds of toiletry items like diapers shampoo and tooth brushes. This expense can be seen on Part IX: Line 24c.

Community Solidarity collects fruit and vegetable plants flowers and seeds and shares them directly to people in need across Long Island and the NYC Metropolitan area. This is done to foster sustainable food sources for people in need and to increase the general nutrition in the geographic regions of our operations. In 2023 Community Solidarity collected and distributed an estimated 823,130 pounds of plants seeds flowers and other gardening materials This expense can be seen on Part IX: Line 24b.

Other program expenses total $103,024. And include the following. $30,600. For books collected and shared for free by Community Solidarity.

$48,255. For the collection and free distribution of school supplies with children in need. This is done as part of our yearly back2school support program.

$22,510. For the collection and free distribution of toys. Community Solidarity distributes toys year round but the primary focus of our collection and distribution of toys in 2023 was focused around the holidays.

$1,659. For the collection and free distribution of other non-cash material donation s with people in need.