September is Disaster Preparedness Month: Local Resources

Photo of Superstorm Sandy aftermath by Katheryn Laible

September is National Preparedness Month, an annual national campaign ”to remind everyone that preparing for emergencies and disasters can keep them, their families and their communities safe.” Thousands of people are harmed by natural disasters each year. The early Fall is known for hurricanes. These and other major storms often come with some warning. Other events, like house, fires will never be expected. The best we can do, both for our family and in service to those who risk their lives to rescue others, is be prepared.

At the very least, when you know something’s going to happen, please listen to the advisories, and stay home when recommended. It’s not a matter of personal bravery, but saving emergency management folks from having to put themselves at risk unnecessarily.

Storm Safety From PSEG

PSEG offers storm safety guidance on it’s website, covering what to do before and after  dangerous weather, including special info on floods, wildfires and generator safety. Another resource they offer is a “Critical Care Program” specifically designed to serve individuals with special needs who may literally count on electricity to keep them alive.

County Disaster Preparedness Hubs, Including A Way YOU Can Help

According to Nassau County’s website LIVOAID “is a coalition of non-profit, government, and for-profit organizations in Nassau and Suffolk Counties committed to working together in the areas of disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. Members of the LIVOAD support each other through their collaborative planning efforts to identify potential needs of disaster victims and develop coordinated and efficient delivery of needed resources and services. Each VOAD member organization maintains its own autonomy while coordinating closely with others in four key areas: Planning for the needs of various populations post disaster.”

On Nassau County’s website as well as on Suffolk County’s you will find a broad array of information on possible hazards, evacuation routes, flood zones, and shelters. They have tips on how to handle these situations with either children, disabled folks, or how to approach disaster as a business owner. You can sign up for emergency alerts, weather alerts, or when the time comes, report damage and request government records.

If you want to advance to the next level of being able to protect your family and neighbors, you might consider joining the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) in Nassau or Suffolk County. Nassau has a Facebook page for thatas well. These are federally funded, community based volunteer programs providing special training that prepares citizens to assist emergency responders in the event of disaster, or in providing public education to make our communities more resilient.

Stony Brook University: Emergency Preparedness/Disaster Relief/Humanitarian Assistance Resources

Stony Brook University put together a list of organizations on Long Island, In New York City, and national/international organizations who may help in a disaster.

Check Your Town Website

Individual Towns have their emergency operation centers that offer helpful information specific to those localities as well as more general information. These may include lists of local agencies, food services, and other resources, including tips for folks with pets, businesses, and other sprecific concerns.

Here are Town of Huntington and the Town of Oyster Bay. as specific examples. We are particularly fond of this Town of Huntington Emergency Preparedness Handbook. We encourage you to check out what your own municipality is doing.

An Ounce of Prevention...

The better prepared we are, the better off we — and everyone who gives it their best to help out at times like these — will be.

AWARE Drug & Alcohol Community Coalition

All images provided by AWARE Drug and Alcohol Community Coalition

The AWARE Drug and Alcohol Community Coalition in Northport is all about “Working Together for a Healthier, Stronger Community.” The mission is “to promote the well-being of our youth by preventing substance misuse, supporting mental wellbeing, and empowering community members through education, stigma reduction, and expanded outreach to create a healthier tomorrow.”

It’s just one of roughly 25 hyper local coalitions across Long Island that exist to help communities grapple with the challenges surrounding drugs and alcohol. These are grass roots organizations of neighbors serving as key connectors with diverse expertise and resources, and acting as fundamental forces for education and prevention in their own right.

This last bit is huge. “We’re all about prevention,” says Executive Director Linda Oristano, “Prevention starts long before a crisis. It starts with awareness, connection and action.”

A Brief History

AWARE (Advocacy, Wellness, Action, Resiliency and Education) started back in 2006 as the Northport-East Northport Drug and Alcohol Task Force, when a handful of concerned neighbors came together after two high school students overdosed. A few years ago, they spun off to form their own 501(c)3 so they could better address specific needs and opportunities in Northport. 

They are welcoming, pragmatic, and deeply engaged in helping people navigate harsh realities of life. There’s a big focus on young people, and staying out of trouble in the first place.

There's a Great Interview...

There’s a thoughtful interview on the Main Street News with Executive Director Linda Oristano. It includes her observations on the current scene, stuff you don’t always hear regarding Narcan, and details of many projects they do with business owners, school administrators, students, local youth agencies, other human service groups, police and other first responders, and the community as a whole.

It’s a good listen. In addition to fentanyl and ways folks have somehow made that more terrifying, Linda expressed deep concerns with the range and appeal of vaping products being sold, especially to young people, as well as some of their efforts to do something about it.

She’s proud of their youth coalition of students grades 9-12, who meet weekly to focus on three initiatives: substance misuse, mental health and environmental issues. There’s a RAP week (Recovery Awareness and Prevention), and participation in community events. 

They talk about the challenges of reaching kids who really need to be reached, the complicating factors of mental health, and parents who are so pressed for time and attention in a world where it’s harder and harder to catch things before they get out of hand. She is grateful for hyper local organizations like AWARE that she truly believes are helping.

We're All In This Together

Linda wants people to know that they aren’t coming down from some high horse but are real neighbors, with real experiences and hope to share. It’s not about scaring or shaming people. It’s about community support and guidance. She hopes folks who have been so blessed as to never experience these challenges will have compassion for those who do, and get involved.

Mostly, she wants anyone struggling themselves or concerned about someone they love to know: 

You are not alone. There are answers. Folks are here to help. Please reach out.

Get Involved

Monetary donations, time, connections – all are very welcome! The best way to get involved at first is to simply tune in and show up. 

Start by following them on Facebook and Instagram @awarelongisland to keep up to date with all they’ve got going on and to receive some really useful tips and resources. You may also visit their website at www.awareli.org. Open to the public meetings occur every 3rd Wednesday of the month at their beautiful new headquarters at 53 Scudder Ave, Northport.

On August 20th, at 7:45 is a family movie night in Northport Harbor Park. 

On August 21st they’re having a fundraiser at the gorgeous Main Street, Northport shop, The Nest, selling donated vintage handbags and jewelry. They may still be accepting donations of gently used accessories! 

As this is Recovery Awareness Month, on August 31st they’re holding a press conference and Recovery flag raising at 12 noon and then a candlelight vigil to honor those lost in the Village Park at 7pm. 

Their Annual Color Run is November 7th at Northport Middle School. It’s a lot of fun!

In addition to everything else she does in service to the community, Linda is an active member of the Northport Chamber of Commerce. No matter what’s going on in town, you’re likely to find AWARE there. Just go say hi!

If you remember, tell ’em Synchronicity sent ya. Thanks!

Subscribe To The Newsletter

Pal-O-Mine Invites You: “The Mane Event”

Join Pal-O-Mine Equestrian for “The Mane Event” this June, where they are excited to lean into celebrating the Year of the Horse! Ticket holders will get to meet the horses, complete horse themed art projects, and experience education stations and games suited for all ages. Children under 3 get in free. It’s a fun way to spend a Friday afternoon while helping Pal-O-Mine raise funds required to achieve their healing ambitions.

For more than 30 years, Pal-O-Mine Equestrian has been proving the healing power of horses. Their therapeutic equine program, serves children and adults with disabilities, those who have been abused or neglected, the military and the economically compromised. 

Read this article we wrote with Pal-O-Mine some years ago, visit their website to learn even more, then join them for a fabulous afternoon. 
 
What: “The Mane Event” Fundraiser benefiting Pal-O-Mine Equestrian
Where: Pal-O-Mine Equestrian, 829 Old Nichols Rd, Islandia
When: June 19, 2026, 2-6PM
Details: View the flier below, and visit www.pal-o-mine.org
 

Subscribe To The Newsletter

Tomorrow: Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive

Photo of Randi Schubin Dresner and Steve Caputo with “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive sign provided by Steve Caputo. 

Island Harvest and our Mail Carriers are Making it Really Easy to Help!

This week, brown paper shopping bags were delivered along with the regular mail. Firefly Steve Caputo, a longtime volunteer for Island Harvest hopes you please won’t disregard it, or throw it away, but will instead fill them with food and toiletry essentials so they may be delivered to Island Harvest tomorrow. 

You see, on Saturday May 9th, 2026, The National Association of Letter Carriers and Island Harvest will carry out the nation’s largest one day food drive. 

It’s a real easy process. No need to go anywhere. No need to make any adjacent donations. All anyone on Long Island needs to do is place a bag of healthy non-perishable goods near their mailbox before their assigned mail carrier makes his regularly scheduled stop. A list of recommended donations can be found below. From there, Island Harvest receives the donation and distributes the food to over 300 food pantries across the island. There is no sign up. The mail carriers will be looking out at every stop to pick up any bagged non perishables

1 in 13 Long Islanders don’t know where their next meal is coming, and that number is growing. Last year over 600,000 meals were given out. According to their website, every donation comes from local and stays local. 

Please be a part of this. They couldn’t make it any more convenient. Just have your bag out by the mailbox by 9AM tomorrow, or at least before the mailman comes. Thanks!

For more information, visit the Island Harvest website.

List of Recommended Donations

– Canned or Dried Beans

– Peanut Butter

– Canned Fruits & Vegetables

– Low Sodium Soups

– Canned Tuna or Chicken

– Whole Grain Pasta & White Rice

– Shelf Stable Milk

– Nuts, Seeds & Dried Fruits

Household Supplies, Toiletries, & Pet Food are also welcomed. Please no Glass containers. Do check expiration dates before participating.

About Island Harvest

Island Harvest Food Bank has been leading hunger relief on Long Island since 1992. Founded in 1992, the Island Harvest Food Bank is a certified member of Feeding America, the nation’s food bank network, with a four-star rating from Charity Navigator. We distribute fresh produce, meat and non-perishables throughout Long Island and assist thousands of Long Islanders daily through our innovative programming and network of community partners.

Grateful for Neighbors who Care

Thanks to Steve, we at the Firefly were able to deliver over 250 pounds of needed goods to people last winter. This time, folks don’t even need to come to a site like us, they just put their contribution out by their mailbox on Saturday! 

Said Steve, “Fighting hunger and food insecurity is a personal passion of mine. It is hard to imagine that almost a quarter million of our Long Island neighbors are impacted by food insecurity, not being able to afford to feed themselves or their families on a regular basis. Stamp Out Hunger is one very simple way that each of us can help to alleviate that hardship. As a volunteer photographer, I have had the privilege of witnessing the formidable coordination effort that goes into receiving, sorting, repacking and distributing the Stamp Out Hunger donations. Volunteers work over several days to get this food in and out of the warehouse and into the hands of those in need.

So please fill that brown bag (and more, if you can), and be sure to leave it by your mailbox on Saturday to help Stamp Out Hunger!”

Island Harvest Logo

Subscribe To The Newsletter

3rd Annual General Needs Gala

General Needs: People Who Provide the Basics

We remember when Lonnie Sherman was first struck by the number of veterans he’d met who were lacking the most basic items. His first response was to run out and buy a whole bunch of socks and underwear to donate. We met him soon after at a Huntington Rotary Meeting, when he had then committed to sharing his experience and asking others to join him.

That effort has blossomed into General Needs, a Northport-based nonprofit distributing necessary clothing, toiletries and other basic items directly to veterans. Since inception distributions have increased from sporadic to quarterly to monthly. According to the Long Island Times, by March 2025, the organization has donated 9,029 coats, 55,555 pairs of socks, 3,300 pillows and 10,224 boots.

Beyond their direct services, General Needs provides a helpful resources page on their website with links to other public and private organizations designed to help veterans. Check it out, there’s a lot there.

Upcoming 3rd Annual Gala

To support future distributions and to learn more about General Needs, you may join in their Annual Gala happening this June. Honoring Paule Patcher, Navy Veteran Mike Sweeney and giving out The Kathy Gibson youth award, General Needs will offer “an extraordinary dining experience with hand crafted cocktails where you will journey on the path showcasing how we support our veteran’s needs.”

The event will specifically support “The Welcome Home Project,” which provides household supplies and support to veterans. Your attendance helps ensure these veterans receive the stability, dignity, and support they deserve. 

Tickets range from $200 for general admission to $1,750 for a table of ten. Veterans pay a discount price of $150.

 It’s all for an amazing cause. We encourage you to click below and see more.

When: Friday, June 12th, from 6:30-11
Where: Leonard’s Palazzo, 555 Northern Boulevard, Great Neck, NY 11021
For More Information: Click here to visit General Need’s Website
To Purchase Tickets: Click here

Upcoming: Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Game

This June 12-13, look out for the 11th USA Patriots Amputee Softball Team’s, a.k.a. The National Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team game to be played on Long Island. Put on by Long Island local Joe Bartumioli, and split up over 2 days in June, “Impactful Friday,” and “Super Saturday” are all about veteran amputees demonstrating perseverance in action.

Continue reading

Pal-O-Mine Murder Mystery Dinner Fundraiser

Pal-O-Mine Logo

Here’s a fun way to support an awesome, healing organization: Pal-O-Mine’s upcoming murder mystery dinner. It provides immediate amusement, while giving us an opportunity to provide enduring support. 

For more than 30 years, Pal-O-Mine Equestrian has been proving the healing power of horses. Their mission, which involved healing through their therapeutic equine program, serves children and adults with disabilities, those who have been abused or neglected, the military and the economically compromised. 

Read this article we wrote with Pal-O-Mine, visit their website to learn even more, then join them for a fabulous evening. 
 
What: Murder Mystery Dinner Fundraiser benefiting Pol-O-Mine Equestrian
Where: American Legion Babylon Post 94, 22 Grove Place, Babylon, NY 11702
When: March 28, 2026, Doors Open 6:30, Dinner Begins 7:15
Details: $40 tax deductible ticket includes dinner, An Interactive Murder Mystery Show, Door Prizes, and access to 50/50 raffle baskets.
Contact: Pat Enright 631-428-5407 (Text), Erin Horn 631-807-1549, or stop by the bar at Post 94 and see Margaret.
 www.pal-o-mine.org
 
Please note: Tickets are limited. Early purchase is encouraged.

2025 Smart Growth Summit Addresses Affordability & More

On Friday, December 5th, Vision Long Island held their 2025 Smart Growth Summit. For decades now, this organization has made a huge difference, connecting great people and generally helping all sorts of folks wrap their heads around the challenges our communities face, as well as opportunities we have to improve the quality of our built environments. 

As always, the Summit was a phenomenal event, featuring over 1,000 local community, business and government, downtown revitalization and community development leaders. There were nearly 20 workshops, 100 speakers, a trade show, and a Youth Summit. The ever insightful “State of the Towns and Villages” breakfast and luncheon alone, were worth the program price.  

Check out the News12 Coverage

This year, there was extensive coverage from News12’s Rich Barrabi. Here is a preview, where Executive Director Eric Alexander provided a brief overview of what Vision does, noting that – while their approach is as grounded and holistic as ever — this year affordability is an exceptionally major concern. He discussed how this event essentially engages local leaders from a diversity of interests and perspectives to learn from and work together on a myriad of solutions. Together they make a big difference.

Here is live coverage from the morning of the event, where Eric roughly outlines the depth and range of professionals who attend, and the interconnected issues they address. The entire proceeding is filmed for public access. Fruits of the various panels and other discussions will inform and guide the organization’s lobbying efforts at all levels of government, as well as its work on the ground with an exceptionally broad variety of local stakeholders.     

Over the weekend, as a segment on Power & Politics: Affordability on Long Island, Barrabi interviewed a handful of the many elected officials who attended the event, including Babylon Supervisor Rich Schaffer, North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena, and Huntington Town Supervisor Ed Smyth adn Valley Stream Mayor Ed Fare.   

A Wealth of Information and Insight

There is a lot touched on in those ten minutes. It’s just a taste of what was offered. This event is a great way to get an in-depth, inside scoop on a broad variety important local issues, including infrastructure, redevelopment, energy, human needs, small business, walkability, transportation and more.

Vision’s own preview may be found here. Segments of the event are already beginning to be published on their Vimeo. You can also check out in-depth interviews hosted by Eric Alexander featuring a broad range of local leaders, well as countless other important discussions they’ve hosted in the past. 

It’s important stuff. Check back regularly to find out what they’re talking about now. Thanks!

Hope Starts Here: CN Guidance & Counseling Services

CN Guidance & Counseling Services is honored to now be opening a deeply needed crisis center. We hope you will be inspired by their endeavors, find yourself a little better equipped when in need of such services, and will join us in encouraging folks to support these important networks of organizations that give so much to serve us all.

Continue reading

2025 Smart Growth Summit

For decades now, Vision Long Island has made a huge difference in our communities, connecting great people and generally helping all sorts of folks wrap their heads around the challenges and opportunities to improve our built environment on LI. Their 2025 Smart Growth Summit is happening Friday, December 5, 2025 from 8am-2pm.

You can get a preview here. The event will feature over 1,000 local community, business and government, downtown revitalization and community development leaders. There will be nearly 20 workshops, 100 speakers, a trade show, and a Youth Summit. The breakfast “State of the Towns and Villages” and luncheon alone are worth the program price. 

EVENT DETAILS
When: Friday, December 5, 2025, 8am-2pm
Where: Crest Hollow Country Club, 8325 Jericho Tpke, Woodbury, NY
Tickets: Available here

This is a great way to get an in-depth, inside scoop on important local issues, including infrastructure, redevelopment, energy, human needs, small business, walkability, transportation and more.

The LI Smart Growth movement generally attracts great people who care about the future of our communities. For an idea of the quality of folks who attend, check out these in-depth interviews hosted by Eric Alexander featuring a broad range of local leaders. You can also check out Vision’s YouTube channel to see important discussions they’ve hosted in the past, as well as people, projects and policies that they have highlighted. 

It’s really valuable stuff. Best to come check out what they’re talking about now