Stew Leonard’s - Front Street

On Front Street, helping the community in more ways than one

Ever since Stew Leonard’s opened in East Meadow on Front Street in 2017, the popular market has demonstrated to the community its commitment to the neighborhood.

From donating turkeys during Thanksgiving, to hosting food drives in its parking lot in partnership with PSEG Long Island, to helping out Todd Weinstein and the community during their many charitable efforts through the “Nice things that happen in East Meadow” Facebook page, Stew Leonard’s dedication is always at the forefront.

“Stew Leonard’s is a great neighbor,” Weinstein said. “Any time our page has needed anything, they’ve always responded.”

The grocery store has partnered with the group numerous times by donating free ice cream tokens for those who donate. It took it one step further this past year when Weinstein announced he was doing a canned food drive for his 50th birthday, and wanted to collect 1,972 cans of food in honor of the year he was born. When Stew Leonard Jr. — president of Stew Leonard’s — found out, he upped the donation: 50

Tim Baker/Herald photos Top: Stew Leonard’s first came to East Meadow in 2017, and since then has truly become and active community partner.

containers of chicken broth, 50 bags of pasta, 50 cans of beans, 50 jars of marinara, 50 jars of olive oil, along with 50 free ice cream coupons to give out to people who donate to the drive.

Every Thanksgiving, the store — assisted by the East Meadow Fire Department — gives out more than 40 boxes of turkeys to help those who might not have meals for their Thanksgiving table. Cars and trucks line up throughout the store’s parking lot waiting to pull up to the building to receive their holiday donations.

“It’s very generous on Stew Leonard’s part,” said Christine Schulz, the treasurer and longtime member of Calvary Lutheran Church. “It helps a lot of families. A turkey can feed a family for a few days.”

— Mallory Wilson

Mallory Wilson/Herald photos Top: Stew Leonard’s employees, elected officials and members of the East Meadow Fire Department helped pack cars and vans with the donated turkeys last November.

Photo courtesy Todd Weinstein Middle: From left, Andrew — a worker at Stew Leonard’s — Jason Tessler, the donations manager at the INN, Stew Leonard's associate Stephen, and Todd Weinstein accepted the Stew Leonard’s donation on May 17.