IslandHarvestFoodBankboastsanew43,560-square-footheadquartersinMelville,andwithit,anewbrandidentity.Aribbon-cuttingonThursdayatthenewbuildingwasattendedbymorethan150supporters. ThenewbuildingistwicethesizeofitspreviousHauppaugelocation,allowingthehunger-reliefandsocialservicesorganizationtoboostitsabilitytohelpLongIslandersfacingfoodinsecurity.Now,theorganizationaimstolaunchandgrowprogramstohelppeopleinsuchareasasjobskills,goodnutritionalhabits,benefitsassistanceandmore. ThenewspacecomesatatimewhendemandforservicestoalleviatefoodinsecurityhasincreasedonLongIsland.Expertssaythatamidthepandemicandcontinuedeconomicuncertainty–includinghigherpricesforfood,fuel,andotheressentials –moreLongIslandersgrapplewithhowtofeedtheirfamilies. InitsfiscalyearthatendedonJune30,2021,IslandHarvestsupplementedmorethan15millionmealsamong600,000LongIslandfamiliesstrugglingwiththosechallenges.Thisaccountsforan83%increaseintheamountoffooddistributedovertheprioryearamongmorethantwicethenumberoffamiliesseekingfoodassistanceinNassauandSuffolkcounties. IslandHarvestpurchasedtheMelvillepropertyonthreeacresat126SpagnoliRoadinMelvillefor$8.1millionin2021.Thenewfacilityfeaturesenergy-efficientlighting,heatingandairconditioningsystems.Itswarehousewasdesignedtoensureefficiencyinreceiving,sorting,storinganddistributingfood,includingfreshperishableitemslikeproduce,dairy,andmeat,ina4,300square-footcombinedfreezer-refrigerationunitthatis12timesthatofitspreviousfacility. Fourloadingdocksequippedwithhydrauliclevelersmaketheloadingandunloadingofproductssaferandmoreefficient.Amezzanine-loftareaprovidesstorageforofficeequipmentandnon-food-relatedsupplies,thusgivingmoreroomforfoodandproductsonthemainwarehouselevel.Ahigh-techventilationsystemwillbeinstalledshortly,offeringabetterairfiltrationsystemallowingIslandHarvesttomaintainaconsistentandclean,temperature-controlledenvironmenttohelpensurethesafetyofthefoodanditsstaff. Thenew,brightly-themedlogoanditstagline,“NourishingLongIsland’sFuture,”createdpro-bonobyNewYorkCity-basedGoldsteinGroupBranding,alludetothehealthyfoodsofferedbyIslandHarvest,andan“optimistic,yetattainablemission”ofhelpingtoreducehungerandfoodinsecurityintheregion,accordingtoIslandHarvest. The“logowasdesignedtoreflectourevolutionoverthelastthreedecadesandsymbolizesourdynamicfuturewhileremainingtruetoourlongstandingreputationasasourceofhealthyfood,socialservicesandsupporttoourneighborsinneed,”RandiShubinDresner,presidentandCEOofIsland Harvest,saidinastatement.“Thelogo’sbrightcolorsanddepictionofnutritiousfoodandanewtaglinereinforceourcommitmenttoahealthierLong Island.” IslandHarvestFoodBankhascreatednewstrategicprogramsandservicestoaddresstherootcauseoffoodinsecurity.TheseprogramsincludeNutritionPathwaystoHealth,HealthyHarvestinitiative,CommunityEmpowermentprogram.PlansforanewWorkforceandSkillsDevelopmentInstituteaimto“promoteself-sufficiencytohelpliftpeoplefromuncertaintytostabilityinadignifiedmanner,”accordingtoIslandHarvest. Thenewheadquartersgarneredhighpraisefromexperts. “Iknowthat Island Harvest FoodBankanditsmanyvolunteerswillusethissp