The food pantries, soup kitchens and emergency shelters supported by Island Harvest, Long Island's Source Authority on Food Rescue, are already in need of more than 13,000 turkeys to feed the area's hungry over the holiday season. Panera Bread bakery-cafes throughout Long Island are once again partnering with Island Harvest and will serve as dedicated drop-off sites for frozen turkeys and turkey coupons through December 24th.

Greg George, Director of Operations for Panera Bread, and Randi Dresner, President and CEO of Island Harvest.

Panera Bread has been an essential sponsor of Island Harvest's Turkey and Trimmings campaign for the past three years, provides over 1,000 pounds of bread daily from its thirteen area bakery-cafes and has contributed over $17,000 to help support the efforts of Island Harvest, its Operation Dough-nation partner, to end hunger and reduce food waste on Long Island.

To give the gift of food this holiday season, stop by your nearest Panera Bread with a frozen turkey or turkey coupon. Panera's bakery-cafes are located in: Bohemia, Bridgehampton, Carle Place, East Meadow, East Northport, Hauppauge, Hicksville, Huntington, Mineola, Riverhead, Rockville Centre, West Babylon, and North Babylon (opening soon). Your gift will help provide warm, nutritious meals to thousands of hungry families and individuals during the holidays. Visit www.islandharvest.org for details or contact 516-294-8528.

About Island Harvest:

Island Harvest, Long Island's Source Authority on Food Rescue, serves as the bridge between those who have surplus food and those who need it, supplying hundreds of community-based nonprofit organizations on Long Island with critical food support to help stem the advancing tide of hunger in our communities. Island Harvest has rescued 36 million pounds of food, supplementing more than 28 million meals, since its inception in 1992. In support of its mission to end hunger and reduce food waste on Long Island, the organization is actively involved in educational and hunger awareness programs to inform the public about the insidious but often unrecognized problem of hunger here, in one of the wealthiest regions of the country, and how individuals, businesses, schools and commercial food establishments can make a difference. Island Harvest is a member of America's Second Harvest. For more information about Island Harvest, visit www.islandharvest.org or call (516) 294-8528.