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UNIONDALE _____________
HERALD BEACON
Girl Scouts learn in workshops
how to deal with holiday blues
Fall painting at the library
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Vol. 75 No. 49
DECEMBER 4 - 10, 2025
$1.00
Rallying to fight hunger Uniondale women lead food drive Program, known as SNAP, suffered critical funding shortagCorrespondent es, impacting over 40 million Hundreds of cans, packages people across the United States. and canisters of food filled up While the program is on track John J. Byrne Community Cen- to return since the shutdown ter in Uniondale during a ended last month, its effects Thanksgiving food drive orga- can still be felt throughout communities across the nized by two local country, including women. Uniondale. Uniondale resi“I have people dents Mirtho-Myra who are close to me Lamonier and that are on SNAP, Thalia Thony and so this whole accepted the donaidea became about tions from dozens my spirit,” Lamoniof generous particier said. “Every day pants over the I wake up saying course of three that I’m so grateful days — Nov. 21 to 23 for having food, but — hoping to help there’s still people people in need in out there that need Uniondale and it.” across Long Island. After collecting “With the curthree days’ worth rent state of every- ThAlIA ThoNY of donations, the thing, and the curFood drive two donated them rent inconsistenco-organizer to Saint Martha cies with governRoman Catholic ment benefits, we thought that I should do some- Church, in Uniondale, and the thing,” Lamonier said. “I was Freeport branch of Long Island talking to (Thalia) about it, and Cares, a food bank that serves I said that we should do some- Nassau and Suffolk counties. Across Long Island, more thing. She agreed, and that day she made a flier, and we started than 310,000 people lack access to food, according to L.I. Cares, organizing from there.” After the federal govern- including over 70,000 children. “I think this is such an ment shutdown, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance CoNTiNued oN paGe 7
By SEAN KENNEDY
Sean Kennedy/Herald
Middle school students from across Nassau County taking part in the Global Leaders of Tomorrow Symposium lined up to vote on which candidates presented the best plans for economic development in their communities, choosing between the pink and blue parties.
County students explore civic leadership at Chaminade H.S. By SEAN KENNEDY Correspondent
The bright minds of 60 middle school students from across Nassau County learned about important civic issues on Nov. 22, when the local chapter of Jack and Jill of America held its annual Global Leaders of Tomorrow Symposium at Chaminade High School in Mineola. “Our chapter is focused on building tomorrow’s leaders,” Donyshia Boston-Hill, the chapter’s president, said. “In these formative years, when they are in their tweens, we’re focused on really having them envision themselves as being tomorrow’s future leaders.” Jack and Jill of America is a chapterbased organization that connects mothers and children, aged 2 to 19, through educational activities and programs that emphasize cultural awareness, educational development, health education and advocacy, civic service and legislative advocacy, and social/ recreational areas.
“Whether it’s finance, leadership, or health and wellness, it’s key for us to give them that ability to just open their minds and see all the possibilities that are out there,” Boston-Hill said. The symposium encouraged the students to collaborate in teams and discover the importance of civic engagement within their local areas. After the initial presentation, the students were separated into three classrooms, with each room representing either the community of Elmont, Baldwin or Westbury. In each room, students were split into two groups, or parties, to come up with the best plan for their respective communities. For some groups, a main point of interest was discussing economic development and entrepreneurial ideas. The discussions delved deeper into education on loans, debt, credit, and interest rates. “Today, I learned about where businesses should be located and how to build up our communities,” Nathan Francisque, an CoNTiNued oN paGe 12
I
think this is such an amazing opportunity to give back . . . This is such a vital time to give back and help other people.