Blue Firmament is a community resource dedicated not only to empowering our loyal clients with healthful information, energizing classes, and therapeutic treatments but also to making our community and our world a better place. Please help us by contributing to our food pantry. For a list of the most needed items, click here. To learn more about the hungry in our own community, click here. Feel free to stop at our juice bar and share your ideas about other ways that we can make 2008 a healthier, happier year for our community.


Juice Bar

Headed by Graverait T Lewis II affectionately known as "Butch". Our offerings, which include soups, salads, smoothies and of course juices, are all prepared fresh and with your choice of ingredients.

Butch is a certified holistic health counselor and will be conducting classes, seminars and demonstrations showing that a healthy and organic diet containing raw foods does not have to be time consuming or costly.

Email us or call us at (516) 665-3641 for more information about upcoming Juice Bar events or just stop by and taste for yourself.



Graverait T Lewis II aka “Butch”

Graverait T Lewis II aka “Butch” graduated from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, which is affiliated with Teachers College of Columbia University. He is also a member of the American Associate of drugless professionals who has received additional training under Live Food Chefs. Butch is an advocate of vegetarian living and believes in healing through nutrition. On a personal note, he has participated in numerous cleansings and fasts. He enjoys creating and experimenting with both live foods and juices. He welcomes the opportunities to not only create nutritious drinks and meals for our clients but also to chat with them about nutrition and health.

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Most Needed Items

Personal Care Toothpaste and Toothbrushes Shampoo and Conditioner Razors and Razor Blades Facial and Toilet Tissue Diapers Feminine Hygiene Items Soaps and Lotions	Canned Goods Canned Meats Canned Tuna or Salmon Canned Soup Canned Vegetables Canned Fruit Canned Pasta Canned Beans	Snack Foods Nuts Granola Bars Cookies Crackers Jello and Pudding
Dry Goods Pasta Macaroni and Cheese Rice Pancake Mix Cake Mix Hot and Cold Cereals Shelf-Stabled Fluid Mix	Misc Items Peanut Butter Jelly and Jam Juice Ketchup Tomato Sauce

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The Hungry in Our Community

Who Are the Hungry in Nassau and Suffolk Counties?

Who	Causes	Effects
Children	Highest percentage of population in poverty are unable to care for themselves, limited voice needs are easily dismissed and overlooked, unable to access feeding programs and services	Impaired cognition leading to school failure, permanent brain damage, reduced ability to use or learn proper social skills, behavioral problems
Seniors	Multiple medications make eating unpleasant or difficult, not enough income to afford nutritious foods. Depression and loneliness causes lack of desire to eat. Pride discourages requests for help.	Increased risk of illness and disease, depression and/or anxiety, increased visits to doctors and higher medical costs, fear and/or shame, premature death
Working Poor	Paid low wages, lack of education, transportation barriers, childcare barriers, lack of affordable housing	Lack of stamina to work, increased susceptibility to illness, missed hours of work time, frustration and hopelessness, lost sense of responsibility and pride
Disabled (mentally, emotionally, socially or physically)	Cuts in funding to care for individual, inability to feed themselves, lack of desire to eat, limited employment	Depression, increased susceptibility to illness, missed hours of work time, frustration and hopelessness, lost sense of responsibility and pride
Minorities	Discriminatory barriers, typically paid low wages, language barriers, barriers to educational opportunities	Depression, alienation, continued barriers to achievement, feelings of fear and shame
Homeless Note: Less than 1% of those in need are homeless. Therefore, homeless receive a much smaller portion of food from Long Island Cares than families and the elderly.	Closing of institutions designed to care for the disabled child and/or domestic abuse, drug abuse and/or alcoholism, cuts in federal welfare	Increased risk of diseases, hopelessness, fear and/or depression, destructive choices