Long Island Musicians Launch Online Food Drive
Long Island Musicians Launch Online Food Drive

Plainview Hospital Nursing Staff with Shelley Cataldo, Jack Morelli, and Mike Foschino. (Photo by Ed Shin)

A Levittown woman has launched a GoFundMe online fundraising campaign with the hashtag #NewYorkStrong to help Long Island healthcare workers and local food pantries. 

Shelley Cataldo placed an order for a delivery from Ninas Deli to Plainview Hospital to support a nurse who works there. She then called the deli’s owner, Benny Diasparra, and asked if he would be interested in helping with the effort.

“We need to feed our frontline workers now right here on Long Island,” she wrote. ”Some hospital cafeterias have been closed.  Staff have been forced to bring a bag lunch, eat on the run, and many times, not eat at all.”

She joined forces with fellow musicians Jack Morelli and Mike Foschino with the goal of feeding as many frontline workers as possible at Long Island hospitals, beginning with LIJ Hospital New Hyde Park and Plainview Hospital, and the Wisdom Lane Food Pantry in Levittown .  

All donations raised will be used to send food directly to these workers and our food pantries for distribution to families in need from Nina’s Deli.  If they surpass their goal, they will add more hospitals, food pantries, and more food retailers and restaurants to the list.  

 

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Diane Wagner Nurse at Plainview Hospital – ASU Periop Unit. (Photo by Ed Shin)Nursing staff at Plainview Hospital. (Photo by Ed Shin)L to R) Shelley Cataldo, Mike Foschino from Live Mic Music, Diane Wagner, Jack Morelli of Jack Morelli Music. (Photo by Ed Shin)Diane Wagner. (Photo by Ed Shin)

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