24/07/2024
It is with a heavy heart that I share of the news of the passing of Linda Breitstone, the founder of Island Harvest. Linda died peacefully at her home in Kauai, Hawaii, surrounded by friends, on July 16, 2024, at the age of 73.
She began Island Harvest’s journey in 1992 when she saw food thrown out at a local convenience store while women in a nearby shelter struggled to find enough to eat. Her dedication and determination, armed with a station wagon and a few coolers, led to the establishment of Island Harvest Food Bank. Her legacy continues to inspire us today. I remember Linda Breitstone once said, “These are our neighbors we’re helping. We must always remember that.”
Her unwavering commitment to ensuring that good, healthy food reaches those in need has profoundly impacted countless lives. Her efforts have not only provided meals for our neighbors in need but also inspired a sense of community and compassion. As we mourn her loss, we also celebrate the remarkable legacy she leaves behind. Under Linda’s guidance, Island Harvest has grown from one woman with a car and a cooler into a leading hunger relief and social service organization, with more than 15,000 volunteers and a robust goal of distributing nearly 20 million pounds of healthy food in the upcoming year.
If you feel moved to make a contribution in honor of Linda Breitstone and all she has accomplished, we invite you to visit
https://www.islandharvest.org/.
Your support will help us carry forward her vision and help us to continue to provide healthy food and important social services to Long Islanders in need. We are so honored to work together to ensure that Linda's legacy of compassion and service lives on.
As Linda has shared, her words continue to inspire us: “One or two or five people can only do so much, but when you start adding more people, you realize you can move mountains.” And she did.
Feeding America
Feeding New York State
