Heart of the Hamptons

To put it simply, we wouldn’t have made it through this past year without your support. 2020 was the busiest year in HOH history. We had 6,067 visits to our food pantry, compared to 2,338 in 2019. Thank you for being there through it all. Wishing you and yours all the best in 2021!

December - Update & Newsletter | Heart of the Hamptons - https://mailchi.mp//december-update-newsletter-heart-of-th

2020 - A year of change, growth and resilience. As we look back at this year, we’re amazed by the great work we accomplished...together. Thank you for believing in us and our mission of supporting our neighbors in need, no matter what comes our way. Click the #linkinbio to read our last newsletter of the year!

Wishing those who celebrate a very Merry Christmas!

Thank you to everyone who came together to make this year’s Holiday Star Program possible! We collected hundreds of toys and were able to distribute holiday gifts to over 125 families in need this holiday season. For the past 28 years, the Holiday Star Program has enabled HOH to distribute holiday gifts to families who may not otherwise be able to afford them. Although alterations had to be made to abide by social distancing guidelines, our community stepped up to the plate ...once again and donated more gifts than ever before! We cannot thank our community and The First Presbyterian Church of Southampton enough for spreading the holiday cheer this year. A special thanks to 14.5 MC, 27 Hampton Salon, Dormition of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church of the Hamptons, ELIH Stonybrook/FIT Center, Fowler’s Garden Center, Hamptons.com, Hildreth’s Home Goods, La Carezza, LoveShackFancy, McLauchlen Real Estate, Our Lady of Poland, Pellegrino’s Pizza Bar and Restaurant, People’s United Bank, Rogers Memorial Library, Ryders Don’t Play MC, Schmidt’s Market, Southrifty Drug, Southampton Lions Club, Southampton Schools, Southampton Volunteer Ambulance, St. John’s Episcopal Church, Ted’s East End Market, The Basilica Parish of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, The First Presbyterian Church, Tuckahoe School & all of our generous community members!

October - Update & Newsletter | Heart of the Hamptons - https://mailchi.mp//october-update-newsletter-heart-of-the

Holiday Hours Heart of the Hamptons will be closed December 21st-December 27th and December 31st-January 3rd. The Food Pantry is open on Wednesday, December 30th. We are on call for crisis intervention needs. The phone messages will be reviewed periodically.

PLUNGE: Challenges Met, A New Record Set Thank you for highlighting the 17th Annual Polar Bear Plunge! @theexpressnewsgroup

It's been 7 months since implementing a food pantry "drive thru" to keep up with the increase in demand, and to continue our distribution while abiding by COVID-19 health and safety regulations. We may have a new way of operating but our mission remains the same. Thank you for your support through it all.

Our COVID-19 relief efforts wouldn’t be possible without your support. This week, we distributed food to 119 local families. Whether you donate food, money, or time, we thank you! Pictured: Maribel, our Food Pantry Manager, receiving our weekly produce delivery from HAPCO Farms.

The first ever Polar Bear Parade was a huge success! The rain didn’t stop our friends from coming out in their incredible costumes to show their support. Thank you to all of the participants! Swipe through to see the festivities

To our plungers, parade participants, volunteers, supporters and event sponsors thank you. While the 17th Annual Polar Bear Plunge looked very different this year, we continued the tradition of coming together (this time from a distance) to raise money for our community. And thanks to each and every one of you, we raised well over our goal of $250,000 and counting! #PBP2020 #ColdFeetWarmHearts : Karen Smul

Another bountiful produce donation from Christie Brinkley's Victory Garden! Thank you for being part of our giving community.

Last week, our friends at Hamptons United donated several canned goods to our food pantry! Hamptons United is one of the incredible non-profits that was founded in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to support other non-profits. Thank you for all you do for our community!

TODAY'S THE DAY! Although we won't be plunging together, we would love for you to join us at the socially distanced PBP Car Parade starting at the Southampton Train Station at 9AM. If you miss the parade, come by Coopers Beach from 10AM-12PM to pick up your plunge hat or purchase one for $25. Please remember to stay in your car for the duration. See you soon...from a distance! #PBP2020 #ColdFeetWarmHearts

"As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others." - Audrey Hepburn Pictured: Our fearless Wednesday Food Pantry volunteers, Bill and Steve. These two have volunteered every week for several years and we truly don't know what we would do without them! We thank you both for your commitment to carrying out our mission.

Need an excuse to treat yourself to a delicious sandwich on this dreary day? Well here it is! Every Tuesday through the holidays, Ted's Market will donate approximately 10% of sandwich sales to Heart of the Hamptons! Thank you Ted's!

17TH ANNUAL PBP COUNTDOWN: 1 DAY! Santa will be showing up in style to the PBP Car Parade tomorrow! Will we see you there? Rain or shine, meet us at the Southampton Train Station at 9AM! Following the parade, Heart of the Hamptons staff and volunteers will be handing out PBP caps and beanies for $25 at Coopers Beach from 10AM-12PM. PLEASE REMAIN IN YOUR CAR DURING THE PARADE/DRIVE-THRU. Although we've had to reinvent the 2020 Polar Bear Plunge, the support we have received ...from our community is inspiring. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you. #PBP2020 #ColdFeetWarmHearts

Responding to the COVID-19 pandemic has certainly been a challenge, but with your help and the help of organizations like Long Island Cares, we've been able to support our neighbors through it all. Today, we ran our food pantry drive-thru and received a 4,870 pound delivery of donated non-perishables and frozen meat from Long Island Cares. Community is what makes our work possible. We thank you!

17TH ANNUAL PBP COUNTDOWN: 2 DAYS! #TBT to the 2008 Polar Bear Plunge Delaney, our Program Coordinator, at her first ever plunge at age 11! Delaney's favorite PBP tradition is the Costume Contest. #Commentbelow your favorite PBP tradition! #PBP2020 #ColdFeetWarmHearts

Calling all volunteers! Our busiest time of the year is quickly approaching and we need your help. Our food pantry volunteers stock shelves, pack grocery bags and assist with deliveries. Please click here to sign up and join our team: https://heartofthehamptons.org/volunteer/

17TH ANNUAL PBP COUNTDOWN: 3 DAYS! We are incredibly grateful and humbled to announce...WE REACHED OUR GOAL OF $250,000. Thanks to you and our giving community, HOH will continue to support our most vulnerable community members, now and in the future...but we aren't done yet! Here are 3 ways YOU can still get involved:... 1) Join us at the Southampton Train Station at 9AM on Saturday for a Polar Bear Plunge Car Parade through the Village! 2) Pick up or purchase a PBP cap or beanie at Coopers Beach following the parade! 3) Deck out your car to enter the Car Contest or dress up in a costume for the Costume Contest! From the bottom of our hearts, thank you to all of our supporters, plungers and event sponsors. Our work wouldn't be possible without you. #PBP2020 #ColdFeetWarmHearts

In September, our Assistance Program: - Assisted a family with rent payment as they experience a medical crisis - Assisted a family with utility bill payments - Assisted a senior with medical transportation - Assisted a family with purchase of medical supplies... The pandemic has led to an uptick in Assistance Program requests. To help us continue to provide this critical support for our neighbors, click here: https://heartofthehamptons.org/assistance-programs/ See more

This week, our food pantry served 120 families. Thank you to BNB Bank and All for the East End for donating reusable grocery bags which we use to pack fruits and vegetables from Fresh from the Start. We are so fortunate to work alongside local organizations and businesses who believe in and support our mission.

Thank you 27east!! https://www.27east.com//the-holiday-express-to-help-local/

17TH ANNUAL PBP COUNTDOWN: 4 DAYS! We are so close to reaching our goal of $250,000! With 4 days remaining until the PBP Car Parade and Drive-Thru, here are 4 ways your donations will help our community: 1) Provide food for registered families and individuals 2) Assist with rent gaps and utility bills... 3) Purchase coats, hats and gloves for school students 4) Provide medical transportation for local seniors and people in need ...& more! Please help us reach our goal by clicking the #linkinbio to donate! Thank you for your being part of our giving community. #PBP2020 #ColdFeetWarmHearts

In our September Newsletter, we reveal our new home, give an update on our food pantry distribution numbers, highlight awesome local fundraisers and include Maripaz & Maribel's recipe for a delicious chickpea salad! Click here to check it out! https://mailchi.mp/heartofthehamptons/september-update-newsletter-heart-of-the-hamptons-5926287

17TH ANNUAL PBP COUNTDOWN: 5 DAYS! Happy Monday! Today is the LAST DAY to send in your VIRTUAL PLUNGE VIDEOS to [email protected]! Although we couldn't plunge together this year, all of our plungers have stepped up to the plate to keep the plunge tradition alive! We are beyond impressed and grateful for each and everyone of you. The 2020 Virtual Polar Bear Plunge video will be shared next week! ... #PBP2020 #ColdFeetWarmHearts

September - Update & Newsletter | Heart of the Hamptons - https://mailchi.mp//september-update-newsletter-heart-of-t

Find out more about our 28th Annual Holiday Star Program! Thank you Hamptons.com! https://www.hamptons.com//INTERVIEW-Delaney-Jones-Talks-He

Thank you for the great article, Hamptons.com! https://www.hamptons.com//INTERVIEW-Hilton-Crosby-On-Heart

Today is #GivingTuesday. A day of generosity, activism, and kindness. This year especially, we’ve witnessed the incredible impact that generosity has on our community. Are you giving today? Here are a few actions you can take to support us right now: 1) Register, donate, or sponsor a plunger for the 17th Annual Polar Bear Plunge 2) Sign up to volunteer in our Food Pantry 3) Donate a gift for a child in need through our Holiday Star Program 4) Donate in honor of a l...oved one 5) Share one of our posts Learn more on our website: heartofthehamptons.org On behalf of our team and those we serve, thank you. P.S. Here are a few memories from our giving community this year!

Fleetwood Mac Challenge: Accepted (Polar Bear Style)! How’d we do @doggface208? THERE IS ONE WEEK LEFT TO SUBMIT VIRTUAL PLUNGE VIDEOS TO [email protected]! A big thanks for the awesome and creative submissions! Don't miss out on all the fun- click the #linkinbio to register! #PBP2020 #ColdFeetWarmHearts #fleetwoodmacchallenge

November - Update & Newsletter | Heart of the Hamptons - https://mailchi.mp//november-update-newsletter-heart-of-th

This Thanksgiving, our hearts are filled with gratitude for each and every one of you who helped us reach our Year End Giving/Turkeys Wanted goal of $75,000! Your generous contributions enabled us to distribute frozen turkeys and all the fixings for a wholesome holiday meal to 309 families in just three days. From us to you, Happy Thanksgiving.

IT'S TIME TO GET FREEZIN' FOR A LOCAL REASON! The 17th Annual Polar Bear Plunge is only 17 days away! Will you help us reach our goal of $250,000 this year? Click the #linkinbio to donate or sponsor a plunger! #PBP2020 #ColdFeetWarmHearts

Calling all plungers! Have YOU registered to VIRTUALLY plunge yet? It's simple! Head to our website, register, and send us a video of your 'DIY Plunge' by Monday, December 7th! This year, our goal is to raise $250,000 to help Southampton residents in need. A big thanks to all of our generous supporters so far- we are well on our way to reaching our goal! P.S. The first plunge leaderboards are posted on our website! Go check it out and see who is in first place! ... #PBP2020 #coldfeetwarmhearts

We are 3 WEEKS AWAY from the 17TH ANNUAL POLAR BEAR PLUNGE! This year, we’re offering several ways to get involved (socially distanced style)! Register to virtually plunge, join our car parade/drive-thru on Dec. 12th, donate, sponsor the event and more! Time to get freezin’ for a local reason! Click the #linkinbio for more information

ICYMI Thank you Chris and Don for using your voice to help Heart of the Hamptons fight food insecurity in our community. Together, we will continue to make a difference.

INTRODUCING THE 17TH ANNUAL POLAR BEAR PLUNGE The tradition continues, socially distanced style! Click the link to register, donate, and more! Event sponsorship/donation matching is available. COLD FEET, WARM HEARTS https://heartofthehamptons.org/polar-bear-plunge-2020/

COMMUNITY HELPING COMMUNITY Last week, Jack, Michael, Taylor, Dylan and Allan donated 300 quarts of homemade soup to our food pantry! Acts of kindness like this make our work possible. Thank you!

Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away! Help us reach our goal of $75,000 to provide a festive holiday meal to families in need by clicking the #linkinbio! We thank you for your endless support.

From us to you, thank you : Matthew Raynor

"Take a moment to thank them. For protecting what you hold dear; Tell them you are proud of them; Make it very clear." - Joanna Fuchs Happy Veterans Day! Thank you to all of our Veterans.

DID YOU KNOW? Since March, we've welcomed over 800 households to our food pantry? For families facing financial hardships, the winter months are always a challenge. With your support, we'll continue to provide pantry staples and a festive holiday meal for every registered family, new and old. #linkinbio

Our Year End Giving fundraiser is off to a great start! You can still help us reach our goal of $75,000 to support local families and individuals this holiday season! #linkinbio Thank you.

For the past 28 years, the Year End Giving fundraiser has enabled HOH to provide a turkey, fresh vegetables, and all the trimmings for a holiday meal to nearly 300 registered households. Given this year's increase in demand, our goal is to raise $75,000 for our now 1,000+ registered families. WILL YOU JOIN US IN THIS SEASON OF GIVING? On behalf of the HOH team and those we serve, thank you. https://heartofthehamptons.org/year-end-giving-2020/

One constant during this ever-changing time is your loyal support. This October, we had 525 visits to our food pantry, compared to 233 in 2019. With your help, we will continue serving our neighbors no matter what comes our way.

Oh My Gourd, it's Halloween! Wishing everyone a safe and spooky day!

The Polar Bear is ready for Halloween, are you? #Commentbelow what you're dressing as this year! For the Plunge and other updates, check out our October Newsletter! #linkinbio

For the past few weeks, the Wellness Foundation has provided us with recipe cards to distribute to our customers. All of the recipes are nutritious, delicious and can be made with ingredients found in our food pantry. For this #MeatlessMonday, we’re featuring their Red Bean Rice recipe! Enjoy! Ingredients, Serves 4: - 1 and 1/2 cups uncooked rice (use brown rice if possible as it’s a whole grain and best for your body, though any rice, except for minute rice, will work) - 2... cups cooked red beans (if using dried beans, make sure to cook beforehand) - 4 cups water - 2 tsp. chili powder - 1/2 tsp. paprika - 1/2 tsp. cumin - 1 tsp. salt - 1/4 tsp. black pepper *Optional: Diced tomatoes, onion and/or avocado Instructions: 1) Put rice, beans, and water in a pan. 2) Add seasonings and stir. 3) Bring to a boil over high heat. 4) Cover the pan and turn to low heat; let simmer for about 15 minutes. 5) Add optional toppings. 6) Serve warm with sliced fruit on the side.

Helen Keller once said: "Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much." We couldn't agree more. This week, The Allied Foundation, a grant recipient of AFTEE, donated 75 boxes of diapers and baby wipes! Thank you for this generous gift to help our neighbors in need. #communityhelpingcommunity

Yesterday, we received 40 boxes of apples from Island Harvest Food Bank- just in time for the first day of fall! What is your favorite apple recipe this time of year?

A huge thank you to our hard working group of food pantry volunteers this week! Konstantine, Elijah, Demetrios and Xanthi (pictured here) helped pack grocery bags and sent them up the motorized conveyor during our food pantry drive thru. Then, Bill, Steve, Laura Kim and Carl picked up the bags and distributed them to our customers! If you’d like to join our team of dedicated volunteers, sign up here: https://heartofthehamptons.org/volunteer/

During this morning’s food pantry distribution, our customers received pre-assembled backpacks and kits filled with school supplies, along with a bag of non-perishables, produce, bread and frozen meat. The school supplies were donated by @suppliesforsuccessorg - an organization that works very hard to ensure children have basic supplies throughout the year. Thank you, Supplies for Success, for your commitment to giving every child an opportunity to succeed!

https://www.27east.com//heart-of-the-hamptons-supporters-/

Wishing a very happy birthday to our dear friend, Carol! Thank you for all you’ve done for Heart of the Hamptons over the years. We love you!

Remembering 9/11. We will #neverforget

Tonight, there will be a virtual Southampton Village Board Meeting at 6PM. During the meeting, we will be making a presentation with regard to our request to occupy the former Ambulance Barn at 44 Meeting House Lane. We believe this is the ideal space to grow our operations and will enable us to continue to serve our community members. If you would like to watch the meeting, click the link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwDidTdhkHXbspR0hkoxH4g Thank you in advance for your support!

REPOST @we__paddle: "15 miles strong DONE & DONE! 15 miles and OVER $5k later! W.E. DID IT!!! Wow thank you to everyone who donated! We will leave the donation link up a few more days, but wow, mission accomplished @heartofthehamptons #givewhereyoulive" Wow! Thank you to all of the paddlers and contributors who made this possible. We are so grateful for each and every one of you!

Happy Labor Day! Wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday. Pictured: Maribel and Maripaz setting up a delicious lunch for the team!

Today is the DeLalio’s 3rd Annual Lemonade Stand benefiting HOH! So...stop what you’re doing and head over to 224 North Main Street! Open until 4:00. We’re grateful for inspiring kids, like Colin, Tessa, Willow, who make our work possible.

#Repost from The New York Times Magazine In the pandemic economy, nearly one in eight U.S. adults say their households don’t have enough to eat. In this powerful photo essay, photographer Brenda Ann Kenneally reveals the reality for millions of individuals who face food insecurity in the United States. https://www.nytimes.com//m/food-insecurity-hunger-us.html

Kate, you are an inspiration! Thank you for all of your support. https://www.hamptons.com//Hamptons-Based-Philanthropy-Kate

Hello September! This month is Hunger Action Month, when people all across the United States take a stand against hunger. We believe we can foster change by taking action together. How can you get involved? Share our posts, sign up to volunteer, or click the link to donate! https://heartofthehamptons.org/donate/

August - Update & Newsletter | Heart of the Hamptons - https://mailchi.mp//august-update-newsletter-heart-of-the-

This week, Emma, a member of Girl Scout Troop 662, donated 30 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies (our favorite!). Thank you for the sweet treat, Emma! Click the link to read our August Newsletter and see what else we've been up to this month https://mailchi.mp//august-update-newsletter-heart-of-the-

On Tuesday, September 8th, a small group of Town of Southampton Lifeguards will set out to paddle the length of our beaches, from West to East, to raise money for HOH! Their goal is to raise $5,000, which will provide 2,500 meals for families in the Town of Southampton! Thank you to W.E. Paddle for Charity for making an impact in our community. Head on over to their page to donate #wepaddleforcharity #communityhelpingcommunity