Give thanks this season

Thanksgiving is around the corner, which means the Lighthouse Mission in Bellport is expecting a surge of people looking for help during the holidays. 

“We need your help to bring Thanksgiving dinner to our struggling neighbors,” said pastor Jim Ryan, noting that thousands of Long Islanders are in need of food for the upcoming holiday.

In years prior, the Lighthouse Mission served approximately 4,000 families. This year, Ryan anticipates even higher numbers. For years, he said, the organization offered an in-house meal on Thanksgiving Day, but after noticing a lot of the area churches do the same, he changed his mission to give people meals to take home.

All turkey dinners, including fixings, will be given out during the second week of November. The organization is currently requesting donations early enough for distribution, but donations will be accepted and distributed up until Thanksgiving. All leftovers will be properly stored for Christmastime and a prayer will accompany each meal.

All donations of Thanksgiving food can be brought to Lighthouse Mission by Friday, Nov. 10. If you are in need of food, visit LIoutreaches.com for the list of their daily free food distributions. 

Every week, twice a day, with the exception of Tuesday and Sunday, Lighthouse Mission visits 10 outreach locations including Middle Island, Islandia, Shirley, Riverhead, Patchogue and Bellport, providing over 8,100 individuals with pantry items and clothing items this past month. At the Patchogue and Bellport locations, a total of 792 and 880 people are given food and clothes, respectively. In addition to food donations, Lighthouse Mission is seeking winter coat donations as well as volunteers to help distribute. Lighthouse Mission is located at 1543 Montauk Highway, Bellport, NY 11713. For more information visit www.LighthouseMission.com or email hello@LighthouseMission.com.

How you can help:

Frozen turkeys, canned vegetables, boxed mashed potatoes and other Thanksgiving foods are needed. Visit their website for the “Download a Flyer” and “Shopping List” buttons for info about the items they are collecting. Financial support and other programs can be made by clicking the “Donate Funds” button.

Please bring all donations to:

Lighthouse Mission

1543 Montauk Highway Bellport, NY

Monday - Friday 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Saturdays- 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Patchogue Neighbors Soup Kitchen's Fall Fundraiser, Thursday, Nov. 9

On Thursday, Nov. 9, the Patchogue Neighbors Soup Kitchen will be hosting their Fall Fundraiser with a 6 p.m. wine and cheese reception and 7 p.m. dinner. The wine and cheese reception will be followed by a luscious dinner served downstairs in the soup kitchen dining area. Guests will be invited to pick up a tray and cutlery, and proceed down the serving line, as their soup kitchen guests have for the past 30 years. The menu includes: leek and potato soup, fruit-stuffed roast loin of pork, homemade applesauce, green beans with crispy shallots, braised red cabbage, “kitchen sink” roast potatoes, arugula salad, and pineapple upside-down cake.

The donation is $40. The Patchogue Neighbors Soup Kitchens exist with virtually no government support. They rely heavily generous individual, foundation, and civic group donations. Pre-purchase is required to facilitate food ordering and preparation, seating, and comfort. Checks with “soup kitchen fundraiser” in the memo section can be mailed to the church. You can also purchase tickets by visiting www.churchonmainstreet.org and selecting the «donate» button on the top right of the page. Please note «soup kitchen fundraiser.” If you are unable to attend, donations are still accepted.

Congregational Church of Patchogue

95 East Main Street

Patchogue, N.Y. 11772

(631) 475-1235

office@churchonmainstreet.org

Christmas Holiday Boat Parade, Sunday, Nov. 19

The Patchogue Riverfront committee, now headed by chairman Billy Kaiser of L.I. Signs and Lighting, plans to host their annual Christmas Holiday Boat Parade on Sunday, Nov. 19, an hour earlier with a 5 p.m. kickoff.

“There is no reason to wait around; it gets darker earlier and colder later,” he said of the reasoning behind the time change. 

For 28 years, the committee has hosted the longest-running boat parade and will also continue the public preview party the Saturday prior, on Nov. 18 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Baja Boathouse and Harbor Crab. At the preview, viewers will be able to vote on their favorite decorated boat for the “People’s Choice Award.”

The annual Village of Patchogue Christmas Parade, Saturday, Nov. 26

The 61st annual Village of Patchogue Christmas Parade will start at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 25.

Small Business Saturday,

Saturday, Nov. 25

Small Business Saturday will be celebrated by both the Patchogue and Bellport Chambers of Commerce. More information to come.

Town and All Suffolk Car Clubs to hold annual Charity Car Show, Food and Toy Drive on Sunday, Nov. 12 to help families in need

The Brookhaven Youth Bureau and All Suffolk Car Clubs will host their annual Charity Car Show, Food and Toy Drive on Sunday, Nov. 12 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Brookhaven Town Hall, located at One Independence Hill in Farmingville. Cars will be on display in the south parking lot to raise donations for families in need through the Youth Bureau’s INTERFACE Program. Attendees are asked to bring nonperishable food items to contribute to the Thanksgiving food drive and new, unwrapped toys for children. Admission is free and cash donations are accepted. For more info go to brookhavenny.gov or call 631-451-8026.