Cedarhurst Man Turns Waste Into Food for Hungry

Syd Mandelbaum is literally a global force. But everything he does starts and ends in Cedarhurst.

"My parents were my inspiration to help feed all those who starve," Mandelbaum said. "They starved as teenagers in slave camps (during the Holocaust), with many never awakening, dying of starvation. Their survival is a testament that it is the will of God for me to do the work that I do. I feel this passion every hour, every day, every week, every year."

Mandelbaum is the founder and CEO of Rock and Wrap it Up!, one of the nation's leading anti-poverty and greening solutions organizations. RWU was started in the 1990's by Mandelbaum when he began retrieving unused food from the backstage area at Jones Beach Theater after rock concerts and donating those items to local food pantries and soup kitchens.

As Mandelbaum's vision grew, so did RWU's reach. The organization is now partnered with multiple teams in Major League Baseball, the National Football League and the National Hockey League, as well as dozens of major label music acts, including Phish and the Black Crowes.

Whether it is working with big stars or local restaurants, RWU's mission remains the same: To get otherwise wasted food into the hands and mouths of the hungry. The kicker is that by recycling usable food, RWU keeps it out of landfills, which also helps the environment. It's a simple concept that results in the rarest of win-win scenarios, said people who have worked with the group.

"RWU literally turns trash into treasure," said Steve Sullivan, a senior member of the Lawrence High School Social Studies Department who has worked with Rock and Wrap It Up! for many years. "And it does it in a way that's environmentally responsible, in a way that costs almost nothing." He added, "One of the most remarkable things about working with Syd is the obvious passion for his cause."

As the child of Holocaust survivors, Mandelbaum feels a particular affinity for fellow members of the Five Towns community, many of whom have similar family stories. His food recovery efforts dovetail with his efforts to tell the story of the Holocaust with respect for those who lived through it, he said.

Mandelbaum's reverence for the past is matched only by his belief in the future. A big part of RWU's goal involves inspiring young people to take up the cause.

"In 1997, we started the Rock and Wrap It Up! School Program at Hewlett High School," Mandelbaum said. "This was soon followed by Lawrence High School. Food not sold from these schools helped feed the hungry. It was picked up at Five Towns Community Center in Lawrence."

Kelsey Soskel and her classmate Sydney Rosenblum have brought the Rock and Wrap It Up! mission to Hewlett High School. They've been touched by Mandelbaum's work and said they're determined to carry it on themselves.

"Working with Syd is amazing'" Soskel said.  "I always hear stories about people who are doing many good things for their community, but to have the chance to work with someone who always gives back and not only in one continent, but in five, it's unreal. Syd's such an influential person in the community. Working under his wing is an honor and the experiences have been life changing."

Mandelbaum quickly deflects the praise. He's devoted to doing the work, not reflecting on it.

"Charity begins at home and in our community," Mandelbaum said. "Caring about our neighbors must continue to be the fabric of what makes the Five Towns great. Poverty knows no gender, ethnicity, religion or creed."