Island Harvest takes a swing at virtual baseball fundraiser

With fans being kept from ballparks this season, Island Harvest Food Bank has turned its annual fundraising event at Citi Field into a virtual affair.

This month, the nonprofit is holding its Home Run to End Hunger initiative online where people can donate $25 or more to the cause and businesses can purchase sponsorships in the effort to raise $100,000 to support the Island Harvest Emergency Response and Recovery Fund. The program was launched to help meet the increased need for food across Long Island during the pandemic.

Over the last several months, Island Harvest has been distributing meal boxes to Long Islanders affected by the outbreak. A $25 donation funds the purchase of each of the meal boxes, which are specially-designed to accommodate the different needs of seniors, veterans, children and families of varying sizes, and can provide food for up to three or four days.  

Contributors to the Home Run to End Hunger cause will be placed in the running for raffle gifts and prizes, including tickets to a 2021 New York Mets baseball game. Island Harvest will hold a ticket drawing in September to announce the winners.