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HERALD Walking for breast cancer awareness
MTA approves fare increases
ToH hosts Fall Finale Car Show
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Vol. 36 No. 41
oCToBER 9 - 15, 2025
$1.00
Long Island Cares pantries feel new strain working-class families. This has made it increasingly difficult for the pantry to maintain Grocery prices in the United sufficient inventory to meet the States have reached their high- growing demand. “My biggest concern is not est level in three years, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture being able to provide enough reporting increases of roughly food for the community,” Rojas said. “Basically, we 2 to 3 percent over rely on those donathe past year. Rising costs for tions, we rely on essentials such as the federal funding, meat, produce and and it would be just dairy are putting a travesty if we pressure on housecan’t feed the comhold budgets. At the munity around us.” same time, a partial Rojas noted that federal government more residents are shutdown threatens turning to the panprograms that suptry for help, as job p o r t l ow - i n c o m e losses and financial f amilies, raising NIColE RojAS strain make it hardc o n c e r n s a b o u t Community Center er for families to f o o d s e c u r i t y program coordinator afford food. To navinationwide and on gate these challengLong Island. e s , t h e Va l l e y At the Valley Stream Long Stream pantry has organized Island Cares facility, Nicole additional food drives and Rojas, Community Center pro- encouraged financial contribugram coordinator, says the rise tions, while relying on support in grocery prices has created from local businesses and organew challenges for the pantry’s nizations. mission to feed those who are Federal programs that supstruggling. While the pantry plement pantry resources, such continues to receive steady as the Emergency Food Assisdonations, some regular con- tance Program, the Household tributors have not been able to Hunger Prevention and the give as much, reflecting the Nutrition Assistance Program, financial pressures faced by Continued on page 15
By ANGElINA ZINGARIEllo
azingariello@liherald.com
M
Angelina Zingariello/Herald
Student honorees reflected the district’s spirit of leadership and service as they were recognized for their volunteer achievements last week.
Students honored for service
Chamber of Commerce recognizes young volunteers By ANGElINA ZINGARIEllo azingariello@liherald.com
The Valley Stream Chamber of Commerce held a special ceremony to recognize students whose volunteer work has strengthened the connection between schools, businesses and the community. The Student Recognition event celebrated young people who devoted their time to Chamber-sponsored initiatives, supporting everything from food truck festivals to community fairs. Held on Oct. 1 at the Valley Stream Community Center in Hendrickson Park, the ceremony honored 43 students from the Valley Stream Central High School District who
volunteered in three or more community events during the previous school year. The afternoon began with remarks from Chamber members and school officials, followed by food and the distribution of certificates and T-shirts to the honorees. District officials in attendance represented various departments within the district. Kelly Ureña, President of the Board of Education, attended alongside Kelly WhitneyRivera, District Director of Guidance and Chief Information Officer; Steven Gilhuley, District Director of Instructional Services; Nakeshia Smith-Farnum, District Director of Restorative Practices and Community Engagement; Joseph Tagliaferro, District Continued on page 12
y biggest concern is not being able to provide enough food for the community.