Long Island Cares – The Harry Chapin Regional Food Bank has named Katherine Fritz as its new president and CEO, effective immediately. Fritz succeeds Paule Pachter, who, after leading the Hauppauge-based organization for 17 years, announced plans to retire earlier this year, saying he would serve as president emeritus in an advisory role.
Having served Long Island Cares since 2019 as its vice president for development and communication, Fritz was the organization’s “unanimous choice to guide Long Island through the food-insecurity crisis,” according to a news release about Fritz’s appointment.
“After a nationwide search, the Board of Directors of Long Island Cares found its next leader down the hall from the boardroom,” David Herold, president of the Board of Directors at Long Island Cares, said in the news release.
The appointment comes at a time of rising costs and, as LIBN reported earlier this year, growing food insecurity on Long Island. And amid a federal government shutdown, food banks are bracing for new demand, according to published reports.
In Hauppauge, Fritz will lead Long Island Cares forward, bolstering its role as both a safety net and an agent of change, according to the organization. Committed to the mission of uniting resources to fight hunger, she will keep that focus central to all decisions, partnerships and programs. She will emphasize stability during the transition while driving the vision of a hunger-free Long Island, the organization said.
“She will lead us in meeting the ever-increasing need ahead, which is what the battle against the challenging climate surrounding food insecurity requires,” Herold said. “We believe that with her steady hand on the tiller, our mission will be advanced and the future of the people we serve will be brighter.”
Fritz aims to strengthen collaboration with Long Island Cares’ 300-plus community partners, including food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, senior citizens’ residences, schools and homeless shelters. She will expand programs targeting the root causes of hunger and boost advocacy for equity and dignity across Long Island, the organization said.
She also aims to prioritize trust-building across staff, board members and community partners while strengthening financial and operational resilience, according to the news release. She will lead the implementation of the organization’s 2025–2030 strategic plan to address current needs with the goal of advancing a more equitable future.
Fritz served in development and leadership positions in the nonprofit sector for more than 30 years, working in environmental and healthcare organizations, including in three divisions with the American Cancer Society. She spent more than 12 years as director of development for both the Guide Dog Foundation and America’s VetDogs, where she managed national fundraising strategies and annual budgets exceeding $18 million.
Fritz has been an adjunct faculty instructor at Molloy College, supporting the Nonprofit Management Certificate Program. She is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and as past president of its Long Island chapter.
Additionally, Fritz serves as president of the board of Brookhaven Art & Music, a youth orchestra, and has held numerous board, committee and advisory positions for environmental and arts nonprofits.
Fritz holds a B.S. from Long Island University at Southampton and is pursuing a master’s degree in human services leadership at St. Joseph’s University.
Founded in 1980 by singer-songwriter and activist Harry Chapin, Long Island Cares today distributes more than 16 million pounds of food and supplies annually to its partner agencies. With its main office and warehouse in Hauppauge, the organization operates seven food pantries throughout Nassau and Suffolk counties.
