The Truth About Hunger That Most People Never See | Randi Shubin Dresner - Island Harvest

Staying Hungry is back with one of our most impactful conversations yet.In this episode, Michael D'Onofrio and Vinny Pappalardo sit down with Randi Shubin Dresner, President & CEO of Island Harvest Food Bank, to uncover the reality of food insecurity on Long Island. From serving more than 240,000 people each year to rescuing millions of pounds of food, Randi shares how Island Harvest is transforming lives through nutrition, workforce development, food rescue, and community partnerships.If you're a restaurant owner, food distributor, or hospitality professional, this episode offers valuable insight into how the industry can reduce food waste, give back locally, and make a lasting impact while building stronger communities.Timestamps:00:00 – Introduction to Randi Shubin Dresner & IslandHarvest03:20 – How a childhood of volunteering became a lifelong mission09:15 – The hidden reality of hunger on Long Island16:45 – Helping children and families beyond food banks24:30 – Workforce development and breaking the cycle of hunger33:20 – Nutrition, healthy eating & Food as Medicine42:15 – Food rescue, restaurant partnerships & reducing waste54:40 – How businesses can support Island Harvest1:03:30 – Taste of the Harvest & annual fundraising events1:11:10 – The future of Island Harvest and final thoughts