Far and wide, Great Neck is known to be an affluent town, and by all appearances, there is abundance and pride, wherever we look. Not quite. Affluence is never evenly distributed. Even in Great Neck—where median incomes are high, there are many among us who live paycheck to paycheck, and must avail themselves of governmental assistance, charitable donations, food and clothing. In our town, appearances matter from the outside and reality hits some harder. Local community resource rooms for food and clothing a/k/a “pantries” become the quiet equalizer.
By relying on community support, a parent in crisis gets one less thing to worry about. A well-stocked pantry reduces financial pressure for parents in times of sudden hardship—job loss, medical bills, divorce, or following headlines-immigration issues. Even caring for an aging parent can quickly undermine the most stable middle-class households.
Proper attire to a kid means participating at outdoor recess, and to a teen desperately seeking acceptance – dignity. Hardship is often invisible.
The Clothing Pantry at Saddle Rock was established in 2019, as a community-run resource providing free clothing, coats, shoes, and other essentials to families across the district. Saddle Rock Elementary School is the primary host site and is staffed by school social workers, psychologists, teachers, administrators, custodians, and security personnel. There is a systematic collection of clothing and other resources at the Clothing Pantry for elementary students, year-round. Of note, the Great Neck South Middle School Community Closet focuses on secondary students. Both are open to all children living in the school district regardless of where they attend school. Private shopping can be arranged for parents by school staff and can be accessed by the GNPS Social Work Team upon request from a teacher, administrator, or parent. GNPS also regularly hosts distribution events such as “Free Shopping Nights” at Saddle Rock. Families in need can “shop” discreetly and with dignity for their seasonal clothing requirements. In a community where social pressure is high, this matters deeply. Basics and essentials, including warm winter coats, well-fitting shoes and clean clothing, bolster families’ health, safety, and self-esteem. Clothing Pantry donors aren’t just giving away their surplus clothing; they’re supporting academic success for students in Great Neck, and leveling the playing field, in a meaningful way.
Robust community pantries like the GNPS Clothing Pantry build cohesion and shared responsibility among our residents. Adding to inventory gives residents a concrete way to help their neighbors, strengthening trust and social bonds
Fortunately, GNPS is assisted by dynamic community organizations in the school district. One such vital partner is SHAI, founded in 1992 and based in Great Neck. SHAI is a Jewish not-for-profit organization comprised of an all-volunteer board, funded by those dedicated to the local Persian Jewish community. SHAI has enjoyed a long partnership with the local public and private schools and other community partners on the Great Neck peninsula, led by the dynamic leadership of prolific Great Neck residents.
The SHAI Coat & Clothing Drive is an annual December event that directly stocks the GNPS Clothing Pantry, providing much needed inventory during the winter months. “This year marked the fifth collaboration between SHAI and the GNPS doing the annual coat and clothing drive to benefit the GNPS Clothing Pantry. SHAI never stopped giving back to our neighbors and the school community,” said Mojgan Lancman, president of SHAI. Members of SHAI including board members Rebecca Sassouni, Monika Amirian, Simone Camhi, Shabnam Tabaroki, Shahram Mike Delafraz, and Shahruz Shahery endured freezing cold temperatures on Sunday, December 7, 2025 to organize and host the annual SHAI Coat and Clothing Drive. Donors from points north, in Kings Point all the way south to Lake Success contributed to the success of the event. From a little further east, the Sid Jacobson JCC also made a donation of coats that had been previously collected making the SHAI drive even more robust. This year, hundreds of kids and parents directly benefited due to SHAI’s collection efforts. Rebecca Sassouni, a sitting trustee of the board of GNPS and SHAI board member observed, “This year, more coats than ever were collected and distributed!” Happy kids (and closets), everywhere!
The above excerpt is based on Janet Nina Esagoff’s full opinion piece which can be found at: https://www.longislandpress.com/2025/12/29/focus-on-the-g-n-peninsula-clothing-pantry-at-saddle-rock-school/