Wife Of Rocker Volunteers At Huntington Station LI Cares Food Pantry
HUNTINGTON STATION, NY — The Jorgensens enjoy helping Long Island Cares, a charity with the mission of eradicating hunger and helping the food-insecure population, in their own ways.
Nina Jorgensen has been volunteering at the Huntington Station food pantry for more than three years, while her husband, Brian, has a band named The Rescue Dogs that performs a benefit concert for Long Island Cares annually.
While Nina has been volunteering for the charity for a few years, she became involved years ago when her son’s Cub Scout den organized a Christmas food drive. Brian acted as Santa Claus, being pulled in a sleigh by a truck. Neighbors brought donations as the family passed by.
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Nina worked in the advertising sales side of the magazine industry. While it was a dream job to Nina, a huge fan of magazines, she could not wait to start volunteering at Long Island Cares the “minute she retired.”
“Just by chance I was assigned to Tuesdays, which is reserved for military vets only, and I absolutely love getting to know them and their families, as you get the same people on that day,” Nina told Patch. “Mostly older gentlemen come, and I always ask what branch they served in. You hear some good stories. Some live alone and really welcome the time to chat.”
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The Rescue Dogs have been together for six years now. The group is made up of other local dads. They practice every week in the barn that came with the Jorgensen’s house. The previous owners were horse people, Nina said.
“We are goat people!”
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The family has hosted three benefit shows for Long Island Cares at their Lloyd Neck home, always in the fall. They invite friends, family, and all the members of the homeowners association they are a part of.
The Jorgensens have raised more than $30,000 over the years just by passing a hat around. Brian’s firm, Wells Fargo, matches what they raise, Nina said.
“We foot the bill for food and beer, and even hire Mister Softee! That (and the goats) get us a lot of families to attend,” she said. “The more the merrier!”
Patch has partnered with Feeding America since 2020 to help raise awareness in our local communities of hunger, a persistent national problem exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Feeding America, which supports 200 food banks and 60,000 local meals programs across the country, estimates that nearly 34 million people, including 9 million children — about 1 in 6 Americans — are living with food insecurity. This is a Patch social good project; Feeding America receives 100 percent of donations. Find out how you can donate in your community or find a food pantry near you.
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