On many Saturday mornings, before I go to temple, I stop at the Village Coffee Shop on Middle Neck Road to have breakfast. Having eggs, homefries, whole wheat toast and a cup of hot chocolate is a treat for me. It's a nice change of pace from the bowl of cereal that gets me going Monday through Friday when I'm rushing off to work.

When the waitress brought my food, it occurred to me that I'm lucky to able able to afford such a nice breakfast. The $5 that I spent on that meal is more than some men and women can spend on food for their whole day.

Many of my friends and neighbors know that I do volunteer work for the Interfaith Nutrition Network (INN), which sponsors 18 soup kitchens in Nassau and Suffolk counties. Several of my neighbors asked me recently if they could help co-sponsor a lunch at the INN's largest soup kitchen in Hempstead, that feeds 200-250 people a day.

We've received permission to do this and we're calling it "Great Neck Cares" day. We need about 50 donors, willing to give $20 or more, to make this happen. So far we're about half way there. If you would like to help local families in need and be part of "Great Neck Cares," please make your check payable to the Interfaith Nutrition Network and mail it to Dave Golbert, 7 Lee Court West, Great Neck, NY 11024.

Everyone participating will get a copy of the menu for the luncheon and an invitation to visit the soup kitchen on that day. For additional information, please call 917-41-2451.

It's a wonderful opportunity to help local families affected by homelessness, hunger and poverty.