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By Guest Blogger, Ellen Broder: Supporter and Friend of The INN

Thanksgiving is about gratitude and being thankful for all that we have. Celebrating together with family and friends, enjoying our holiday filled with love, laughter & delicious meals.

For many years Our Family has sponsored the day after Thanksgiving to help serve the guests at the Mary Brennan soup kitchen. We have always looked forward to INNteracting with the guests and assisting them with their meals. Since Covid, the doors have been closed to the guests to come inside the building, where now they are given food bags, toiletries and other basic necessities outside in front of the Mary Brennan soup kitchen.

Last week, we were granted the opportunity to INNvite family and friends to get INNvolved and help at the soup kitchen. This was a special time for us to volunteer. Everyone brought items to donate; canned goods, boxed foods or new clothing for the guests.

Marty, Greg, Evin and Alana Broder, Pauline Ferstenberg, Donna & Bobby Glassman, Deena Fiddle and Stewart Gordon all joined INN, to volunteer and help take care of sorting & packing.

We were thankful that Jean Kelly and Rob Kammerer came to guide us in our activities in sorting snack bags and filling PPE bags to give to the guests. (Personal Protection Equipment Bags). Each bag is filled with 7 pairs of new socks, 5 masks and sanitizer. Basic necessities that are so important to be able to protect against the weather and Covid.

On this day, we were the only ones at the Mary Brennan soup kitchen, working, INNcouraging each other to get these tasks done for the guests. We were INNspired. Jean & Rob recounted their stories of the guests and explained all that The INN has continued to do, since this pandemic began, making sure that the INN’s guests have what they need.

Even though the soup kitchen was quiet without the chatter of the guests, I will always remember how, before our lives changed, they would leave the soup kitchen more content than when they arrived, to be in the dining room, with Thanksgiving decorations, holiday placemats and a delicious hot meal set for each and every person who came.

Last year and this Thanksgiving, the guests went home with a turkey and holiday foods to enjoy in their own way. I am hoping in 2022, we will be able to celebrate at the Mary Brennan INN soup kitchen for the holiday. Our family was Thankful for our friends to be with us, getting INNvolved.

Click here or on the image to view the entire interview on YouTube

In 2016, East Meadow resident and businessman Todd Weinstein was frustrated by the daily negativity he encountered on Facebook. In local neighborhood groups, there was a lot of complaining and bashing in the comments, but very few bright spots. To counteract this, Todd founded a group he named, “Nice Things that Happen in East Meadow.” The rules are simple. Only nice things about the town can be posted. No politics, no arguing, no negativity. The group has grown to over 3,200 members and in its early days, began local philanthropic efforts. Todd started what became an annual school supply drive to benefit the guests of the Mary Brennan INN soup kitchen. Friends and neighbors collected brand new school supplies at the end of the summer and dropped them on his front porch. Some left checks and monetary donations, and before he knew it, they had collected over 1,000 items to equip school-aged guests with the proper tools to start the school year off right. Todd approached the Stew Leonard’s location in his town, and they not only donated bags to transport the items, but everyone who donated got a token for a free ice cream. The group members continue to look forward to this tradition each year.

Todd has also organized “EM2020 Vision,” collecting over 2,020 pairs of socks before the year 2020 began, which were donated to The INN. On New Year’s Eve 2019, Todd dressed as Santa Claus and shopped at the local Walmart store with donated money to buy the socks and reach their goal, while livestreaming video to the group. During the pandemic, while raising money through a football playoff betting pool for struggling local restaurants, he made sure to set aside a small monetary donation to The INN.

“People in general, I think, are good-natured and want to help,” Todd said. “Sometimes they just need an extra push to get involved.” We are truly grateful to Todd for giving the wonderful people of East Meadow the push they needed to Get INNvolved.

Click here or on the image to watch the entire interview on YouTube

In our first installment of the “INN Gratitude” Podcast, Executive Director Jean Kelly and Board of Directors Member Rob Kammerer share their memories of the first days of The INN in 1983, including how they met by accident, and how the pandemic is another point in history where The INN has had to adjust for the guests.

Click here or on the image to view the entire interview

On December 22^nd, while speaking on “The Launchcast,” a podcast hosted by Farmingdale native and CEO of Launchpad 516 George Andriopolous, Dana Lopez, The INN’s Director of Marketing & Communications received a pleasant surprise and accepted a generous end of year donation of $10,000 for The INN. The gift came from “Shannon’s Fight,” an organization on Long Island whose goal is to support families in need.

George sits on the board of Directors for Shannon’s Fight, along with his fellow board members, Dana and James Battaglia, who were guest hosting on the show that night, and were thrilled to be able to make the official announcement that Shannon’s Fight chose The INN as one of their beneficiaries for their 2020 end of year gift.

 After the dust settled from the holidays and the conclusion of 2020, Dana was able to sit down (virtually) with George, and properly thank them for their support of The INN, and recognizing the need that has inevitably grown throughout this past year.

Click here to see the entire episode of The Launchcast Season 2 premiere 

About Shannon’s Fight
The goal of Shannon’s Fight is to provide individuals in medical crisis, as well as their families, with financial support.  Additionally, we may from time to time provide funding for research, or to other non-profits. Shannon’s Fight is dedicated to increasing knowledge and awareness of all diseases and illnesses that we come across in our recipients, and to provide every individual an opportunity to receive the highest quality of care, as well as to support their families through the recovery process.

For the last eight years, The INN has been the proud non-profit charitable partner and donation recipient of the Over 50 Fair, an event to celebrate life over age 50 with speakers, vendors and workshops. For the 2020 event, the fair’s organizer Barbara Kaplan has decided to change gears, making it a virtual charity event with all proceeds going to The INN.

This year the Over 50 Fair is a virtual conference via Zoom, with all donations going directly to benefit
The INN’s programs. It will take place for eight hours over two days on Saturday, September 12 and Sunday, September 13 from 12pm-4pm. There are opportunities to sponsor, support and attend.

“The INN has been a part of the Over 50 Fair since 2012,” Barbara said. “Because of COVID-19, this year’s event has gone virtual.  It was a “no brainer” to include The INN as the beneficiary of the event.”

The decision to make a virtual event seems to have been the most responsible one. “Because older people are more at risk of COVID-19, it would not be prudent to have a live event this year, even if it were to be allowed.  Cancelling did not feel like the right way to go, as our speakers have information that is relevant to our attendees, and it would be a shame to lose that opportunity to share it.  We will have classes that are educational, interesting, and fun.”

To learn more about the 11^th annual Over 50 Fair, please go to www.Over50Fair.com or www.Over50Fair.com/2020-event. 

To donate, visit http://weblink.donorperfect.com/over50inn or call Barbara Kaplan at 516-621-1446.