Volunteers stock Long Island Coalition for the Homeless pantry for the holidays

Dennis Ortlieb, a Brentwood schoolteacher, has seen firsthand when families struggle and basic needs, like food and housing, aren’t met.

It’s why he brought his children to the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless Stuff the Pantry donation drive Saturday morning in Amityville, where nonperishable food, toiletries and clothing were being dropped off in the nonprofit’s warehouse to later be distributed to those in need.

“I just want my kids to understand what they have and they appreciate the things that they have,” said Ortlieb, 48, of Deer Park.

He was part of a team of volunteers at the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless distribution center, known as the “boutique,” at 600 Albany Ave. There, the organization regularly collects donations and allows Long Islanders to shop for or request items.

Organizers said Saturday’s event, which drew around 70 people over three hours, was the first Thanksgiving-themed drive for the nonprofit and will be run annually. It included coloring activities for children, a turkey mascot and refreshments.

“There’s always a need,” said Greta Guarton, executive director of the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless. “But this is a time of year that everyone feels a sense of wanting to give.”

Homelessness is a growing problem on Long Island. The annual Long Island Coalition for the Homeless audit of homeless people in Nassau and Suffolk counties counted 3,928 people in January 2024, up from 3,536 people in January 2023 and 3,034 people in January 2022.

The figures are only a snapshot of the wider trend of increasing rates of homelessness and need for shelter on Long Island and throughout the rest of the country. National data showed homelessness increased 12% between 2023 and 2024, largely due to people who became homeless for the first time.

Experts and advocates said the expiration of a COVID-era eviction moratorium, a lack of affordable housing and defunct pandemic rental assistance programs are contributing to the rise, Newsday reported.

On Long Island, Guarton said, events like Saturday’s are focused on simplifying some of the difficult decisions people face.

“A lot of times the difference between becoming homeless, or becoming at-risk or losing housing could be, ‘Do I pay my rent this month or do I put food on the table?’ ” Guarton said. “We help to bridge that gap.”

Joe Biasi, a volunteer who helps run the pantry, said donations tend to pour in during the holidays but that some essentials — like deodorant, paper towels and diapers above size 3 — are often least in stock throughout the year.

Bailey Riekkinen, the community engagement specialist for the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless, said people experiencing homelessness have often endured significant trauma and that domestic violence victims are especially vulnerable, particularly women. However, other life events like a death in the family or a hospitalization can set a family or an individual back financially.

“And from there, it’s very difficult to get out of homelessness,” Riekkinen said.

With toilet paper and paper towels in hand, Michelle Tuchinsky, of Melville, said she donated Saturday to do her part in helping the community. A member of Temple Beth Tora’s Social Action Committee in Melville, she said it’s important “to keep the momentum going” after the holidays, when the need for support remains high.

By Joseph Ostapiuk

joseph.ostapiuk@newsday.com@OstapiukJ