Episode 1 - "Doing Good" Radio Show - Featuring Sal Mangano

In this inaugural episode of the Mangano Family Foundation's "Doing Good" radio show on My Country 96.1 FM, we sit down with Sal Mangano, President of Mangano Family Funeral Homes, to discuss the foundation's mission and the importance of giving back to our community.

Join us as we continue to explore inspiring stories, community initiatives and ways you can get involved. Don't forget to like, subscribe and hit the notification bell for more uplifting content.

#ManganoFamilyFoundation #ManganoFamilyFuneralHomes #DoingGood #MyCountry96.1FM #GivingBack #LongIsland

https://www.manganofamilyfoundation.com/

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

The views and opinions expressed on this program are not necessarily those of this station, JVC Broadcasting Management or its sponsors.

SPEAKER_01 1:06

Far too often we read and watch news stories about gloom and doom, so we're happy to bring you positive stories along with the Foundation, providing you with helpful resources to start your day. To kick off the show, we are interviewing Sal Mangano, founder of the Mangano Family Foundation and president of Mangano Family Funeral Homes. Sal is a longtime uh veteran of the funeral industry. Uh his family goes back literally generations in the business and uh recently started this Mangano Family Foundation, which is really doing amazing and incredible things in the local community. Uh Sal, welcome. Thank you very much. Pleasure to be here. Uh so you know your family has been in the funeral home business for over you know 100 years. It's it's really an incredible story. Uh talk a little bit more about how the family got into the business, about the history, and where you guys started.

SPEAKER_02 1:55

My uh great-grandfather uh started the funeral business uh in 1911 in Brooklyn, New York. Um he uh immigrated here from Italy. Um he worked in a factory, went to school at night to become a uh mortician, funeral director, and uh opened up a funeral home in 1911 on Union Street in South Brooklyn.

SPEAKER_01 2:13

Wow, so uh certainly over time, you know, things have uh changed in the funeral industry. So back then, you know, were there funerals done at people's houses too? It was like totally different, right?

SPEAKER_02 2:23

Correct, correct. Funerals were mainly done in people's homes. Uh they had to uh you know arrange the uh the furniture, they'd bring chairs, uh uh ferns, things like that, lights, well, uh candles actually, to uh people's houses, and that's where they had the wakes. The wakes were generally done in the living rooms or the parlor room of the house, and that's why eventually funeral homes became funeral parlors.

SPEAKER_01 2:42

Oh, interesting, interesting. And uh so talk about you know family started in Brooklyn, and then how did you guys come out and when did you come out to Long Island?

SPEAKER_02 2:49

In the uh 1960s, my grandfather uh moved the funeral home uh from Brooklyn to Deer Park when a lot of the uh residents of Brooklyn were migrating out to the uh to the island. Uh my grandfather chose to settle down in Deer Park from the 60s to 1960s, early 1960s, yes.

SPEAKER_01 3:05

And then over the course of the next you know several years, you guys built a really incredible uh community-based business in Deer Park. And then you also uh has expanded since then, the funeral homes.

SPEAKER_02 3:17

Correct. We expanded to uh Middle Island and also Riverhead. Oh, okay. We bought two uh we bought uh both of the funeral homes, Riverhead and Middle Island, both established funeral homes that we acquired from uh other uh families that were selling their funeral homes.

SPEAKER_01 3:30

Yeah, I think the family uh owned and operated as such an important aspect of the funeral industry. I know over time there has been a lot of consolidation and you know, big kind of like larger scale national operators, you know, acquired a lot of local funeral homes, and a lot of the times it does lose that local flair and feel and touch to it. Uh you notice that, you know, in terms of your business?

SPEAKER_02 3:52

Absolutely. Um large uh large uh conglomerate uh funeral homes mainly bought up a lot of the funeral homes on Long Island. Um back probably in the 80s and 90s, they they went on a buying spree and they purchased uh numerous funeral homes. Some of them they still have, they still keep the um original family names on them. Uh but they do operate under a um an umbrella, a parent company umbrella, but they do keep the uh original names of the funeral homes on the uh on the signs. So people still think it's family-owned, even though it's owned by a large corporation.

SPEAKER_01 4:21

Ah, gotcha, gotcha. And uh I know um your mother Barbara, you know, in in many ways was a you know pioneer in the funeral industry. Correct. Um now correct me if I'm wrong, was she the first female funeral director?

SPEAKER_02 4:36

First female f uh first female funeral director in Suffolk County, yes. Wow. So and she opened up uh you know opened up the uh the doors for many, many women. Now uh basically there's more women in the funeral business, there's more women in in funeral directing school than men. So Wow, no kidding.

SPEAKER_01 4:52

Yes. Wow, that's that's an that's an incredible legacy that she left and she really you know paved the way. Um and she was very you know active in the local community, and I know you know she certainly has you know inspired you, you know, over the years to the same, and and it's really getting involved in the local community and giving back is truly truly part of the fabric of the Mangano family funeral homes. Um, and really was she was an inspiration in many ways of launching the Mangano Family Foundation. Um and and so she was, you know, talk a little bit about you know mom and her involvement in the local community.

SPEAKER_02 5:31

Uh my mother always uh, you know, even from small children, uh she always wanted us to do whatever we could for, whether it would be our school. Um, you know, if we you know had a birthday, we had to give a certain amount of money to our school, whether it's for um, you know, a class project or something like that, a project in class. My mother always taught um always to give to uh the community, always give to uh people that are less fortunate than us. Um my mother was involved with uh numerous um uh uh charities in in the community. Uh she was always a donated, she obviously donated to churches, uh St. Cyril's and Deer Park, uh St. Matthew's and Dix Hill's, uh Mercy Soup Kitchen and Wine Danch. Um she was uh uh uh involved with um the Sons and Daughters of Italy, she was involved with the Lions Club and uh organizations uh like that.

SPEAKER_01 6:23

Yeah, no, that that that's that's fantastic, and we know you see that you know kind of mirrored in all the work that you do personally. And um you know, one of the things too is you know um she you know has made you know such an impact and you know a trailblazer, um and about you guys kind of getting getting giving back and talk about you know how you utilize and work with you know different community groups and organizations. Um I know each year you team up with the Deer Park Fire Department, you know, in the town of Babylon, and you know you support Collins Children's Hospital. Talk a little about how that started and what the the origination and genesis of that was.

SPEAKER_02 7:06

Well the um I saw a uh a flyer in the first uh year the uh Deer Park Fire Department was doing a uh toy drive. Uh they were doing a toy drive for um uh Collins Children's Hospital. And um in the past we've done uh Toys for Tots, we've done a toy drive for um uh uh Miraculous Metal and Wine Danch. And I thought it would be great to t team up with uh the Deer Park Fire Department, the Volunteer Fire Department, and uh Chief Macaluso. And um we we've been uh partners with uh the toy drive for uh three I think this is our third year this year. And it worked out great. Um the community is very, very supportive of not only uh the toy drive, but they're bringing in um you know, I think we filled up an entire van just from the funeral home. And then the Deer Park Fire Department filled up another van, entire van, going to Cohen Children's Hospital. So there's two, two or three full vans going to the hospital.

SPEAKER_01 7:58

Is there a young family or young man involved with that? Yes, yes, yes. Oh, okay. Yeah, he he um he he really is an inspiration to a lot of people. You know, and I know that that day a lot of people were really excited about their energy and you know they were very grateful and thankful.

SPEAKER_02 8:13

Yes, the family was there when uh when we arrived at the firehouse that morning, and Santa came and uh Santa was there as well, and uh the the family was uh very, very happy.

SPEAKER_01 8:21

And I know another component to the uh you know Mangano Family Foundation um is also Family Florist, uh which is another business that the family owns, uh, and that's located in Deer Park. And even that day they participated, you know, in the in the events and giving some coupons and discounts to the florist to try and get people to to donate to the toy. Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_02 8:42

We were giving anyone who donated a toy, uh we would give them a ten dollar, uh$10 voucher, gift voucher, a gift card to the the flower shop so they could use it at any time.

SPEAKER_01 8:50

So that's great. Yes. That is great. And I love to see, you know, getting all of the different, you know, organizations and family businesses involved, you know, to really give back to the uh to the local community.

SPEAKER_02 9:02

And you know, going back to kind of like your time, you know, working in the funeral industry, so I guess was there any doubt, you know, this is what you were gonna do, or was there whatever uh I always knew when I was younger I wanted to go into the you know, I wanted to follow my grandfather, my great grandfather, grandfather, my mother's foot uh footsteps in the funeral business, and uh I'm a fourth generation uh funeral director. And uh yeah, proud to be a funeral director. Trevor Burrus, Jr.

SPEAKER_01 9:25

So it wasn't any Dr. Mangano or any uh No, no, no. In your future. No, no, sir. Okay. Um so when did you start? I'm I'm I'm curious because you hear a lot about you know multi-generational businesses and you know um kind of working in the business as you know a youth. Did you work there as a teenager or helping out, you know, with different funerals or cleaning up the place or like that?

SPEAKER_02 9:49

Cleaning up uh shoveling snow in the winter, obviously, um cleaning up uh in the summer outside, sweeping the parking lots, um, you know, doing things like that. Started when I was younger, um you know, general maintenance around the building. And uh then eventually I was allowed to come inside and uh allowed to uh you know fix the chairs and clean up inside.

SPEAKER_01 10:08

So you graduated, you know, from uh shoveling the walkway to cleaning the bathrooms. That's right. So um so you know, you you guys you know have spent you know literally decades um building you know a community-based business in Deer Park. And as you mentioned before, you know, you have expanded throughout Suffolk County. Um Riverhead and you know, in Tothill Mangano Funeral Home, um I know you came in and acquired that uh business. And you know, it's really great to see you know how you truly took the values and principles from Deer Park and Brooklyn and and the family dynamic and brought that out to Toth Hill Mangano Funeral Home. And I know you you recently, uh in this past holiday season, you know, teamed up with Toys for Tots and Highland Harvest supporting their mobile food pantry. Correct. Talk a little about what it's like to operate a business in Riverhead and downtown Riverhead and your experiences there.

SPEAKER_02 11:09

Downtown Riverhead is a booming, uh very vibrant community. Um it's a great, great community. Uh it's a walking community. Um it's nice. Everyone, it's an old-fashioned community, everyone knows your name. Um it's uh the the families there are great. Uh the uh the everyone to work with there is nice, the the shop owners are nice, it's a great uh area, a lot of nice restaurants, things like that.

SPEAKER_01 11:31

Oh, that's great.

SPEAKER_02 11:32

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 11:33

Yeah, and I know uh so this year you did Toys for Tots, and again you had a you know wildly successful um a successful toy drive that and I know that Toys for Tots, you know, supporting the U.S. You know, Marine Corps and their and their mission uh to provide toys for you know kids during Christmas is so important. I and I heard from them them this year that you know actually donations, believe it or not, went down this year overall. So they were very appreciative, I know, of of organizations of businesses like yours that stepped up and were able to provide you know toys. So is supporting veterans' causes, that's uh another important area for you.

SPEAKER_02 12:09

Absolutely, absolutely. Uh we're the greatest uh country in the world because of our veterans. So we have to always uh give back to our veterans.

SPEAKER_01 12:16

Yeah, and and and and Riverhead, you know, it's such a you know wonderful community and such great people. And like you said, you know, really on the upswing there with their downtown revitalization efforts and you know the government officials and local officials do you know such a great job there. Um something also, too, you you know, in addition to Riverhead, I know you mentioned Middle Island, it's another area in the town of Brookhaven that you guys acquired a funeral home for. Correct. Um talk to me a little about you know that area and that community and the community is a great community as well.

SPEAKER_02 12:48

Um we're the only um funeral home in Middle Island in the Middle Island area. Um we're right on uh Middle Country Road. Um it's uh There's a lot of um uh you know uh condo complexes there. A lot of people moved from areas such as Deer Park, North Babylon, uh moved to uh Leisure Village, Leisure Um Knowles, Leisure Glen. So uh a lot of our uh friends and neighbors from Deer Park were moving out that way as well. So it kind of was a perfect fit when we purchased. We purchased a funeral home. Originally was called Giovi Funeral Home in uh Middle Island.

SPEAKER_01 13:20

Gotcha. Gotta stick with the Italian theme with the uh names. I gotcha. Okay. So yeah, so Middle Middle Island is is a is a another wonderful community. And um I'm I'm just curious, I want um, you know, about the you know, the funeral, you know, home industry. Talk to me a little bit about you know some best practices, right, as as you know, family or you know, as as planning as you're kind of going through elder planning and state planning and and things along those lines. You know, the pre-planning funerals, is that how does that work? And what are the steps involved there?

SPEAKER_02 13:54

The best the as you said, the um pre-plan pre-planning is uh is probably the best thing you can do for your family. Um all your wishes will be uh written down. Um all your wishes uh you could uh just pre-plan, or you could also pre-fund your funeral. So with uh pre-planning, you know, basically all your wishes are written down, we have them, we'll hold on to them. Uh with uh prefunding, uh we participate in a plan with the New York State Funeral Directors Association. It's called the New York State Pre-Plan. And 100% of your monies uh go into an FDIC insured account with the New York State Funeral Directors Association. And how this uh the account works is the um accounts do gain interest and the interest goes to offset future expenses. Uh so um with us um we we guarantee our funeral home charges.

unknown 14:43

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_02 14:43

And so how that works is uh, you know, the the interest in the account goes to offset, you know, uh future uh uh rises in inflation with inflation.

SPEAKER_01 14:53

And do you pay that all at one time or do you can contribute to it over time?

SPEAKER_02 14:57

Uh you could pay it all off uh at one time. Um many people do that when they have to um pre-fund their funeral if they're going into a nursing home. Um if they need an irrevocable account, then they would pretty much prefund it all at once. Otherwise, if uh you're you know just prefunding it a little bit out of time, you could just pay us, pay the you know, the funeral home uh a little bit at a time and then we'll send the money right to Albany, New York State uh, you know, funeral direct association.

SPEAKER_01 15:21

Oh, okay. That's that's interesting. And you know, same thing, you know, in terms of pre-planning a funeral, it's the same thing if you know somebody's wishes are a cremation, it's the same type of thing.

SPEAKER_02 15:30

Absolutely. Um, absolutely. Um could pre-fund the cremation, uh pre-planned cremation. Absolutely. Uh there is something in the funeral business that um is probably the best uh advice I can give uh yourself or anyone listening. Uh in New York State, uh there's uh a form called the New York State Agent Form, which the agent form um you could decide on who has um who you designate to handle your funeral for you. Uh in the past it was, you know, your spouse. If your spouse is wasn't alive or you never didn't have a spouse, it would be your children or your parents or something like that. Um but now as a an agent you could have anyone um uh you as your agent. You could uh if you wanted to, you could have your postman as your agent or you know your uh radio show host can be the agent as well. So is that part of um should that be part of kind of your estate planning, or is that something separate, or usually it's part of it, or you could do with estate planning, or you could even uh do it with uh your funeral planning when uh you come in uh to sit with us to to make a pre-plan, uh we have everyone's assign um an agent form. You know, we give it to them and we just ask for a copy, so we have it on file, and they keep it on file, and they give it to the person who's their agent, and then you could have a a successor as well, a successor agent in case your first agent is not available at the time.

SPEAKER_01 16:48

Gotcha. Yeah, so it's pre-planning and you know, they how do they how does somebody typically do that? Do they just call and make an appointment or yeah, just call and make an appointment.

SPEAKER_02 16:56

We could either um meet with you at your home, or we can meet with you um if you wanted to meet at a library or something like that, or we could even come into a funeral home. You know, uh most most of the pre-arrangements are done at the funeral home. However, some people, you know, would rather, you know, us come to their house or something like that.

SPEAKER_01 17:11

Yeah, I think it gives people uh, you know, kind of peace of mind too, right? They just know like this is their wishes and you know, not gonna, you know, who knows what happens afterwards, right? But at least it'll be kind of laid out and you know, kind of how they want it to be.

SPEAKER_02 17:25

Absolutely. And um they they do for their kids with their their spouse, so they don't have to worry about it at the time. It eliminates you know, um second guessing. You know, uh you your kids second guessing, oh, did mom want to be cremated or mom wanted to be buried? I don't know, she mentioned it once that she would just want to be cremated, but another time she mentioned that she wanted to be buried with with her parents or something.

SPEAKER_01 17:44

Oh yeah, that's very true. You know things can also change over time.

SPEAKER_02 17:52

Absolutely. Absolutely. Um people uh obviously there's uh the trend is going towards cremation. A lot more people are being cremated. Um, people aren't staying uh Suffolk County anymore. You know, after uh you know mom had four kids, you know, three of the kids moved to who moved to Florida, who moved to the Carolinas, and who moved to to California. So sometimes, you know, uh instead of burying mom and the family grave at uh one of the cemeteries, local cemeteries, they decide to have mom cremated so uh they don't have to feel bad if nobody visits the grave anymore.

SPEAKER_01 18:28

Gotcha. Oh, interesting. And so, you know, if if anybody's interested in understanding the process more or the New York State form, um they call Mangano Family Funeral Home, or they can send you an email. Do they call and say, I want to speak to Sound Mangano himself? Will they get you on the phone?

SPEAKER_02 18:46

Absolutely, they will, yes.

SPEAKER_01 18:47

Ah, okay.

SPEAKER_02 18:53

Uh be more than happy to meet with anyone if they have any questions.

SPEAKER_01 18:56

Anyone uh just has any uh anything at all, any questions that need to be answered, any advice on the And you know a question, you know, also when it comes to you know cemetery and burial, um are are are those plots typically purchased in advance? Are they available? Is there like you know, I know that all they're all available.

SPEAKER_02 19:15

Uh some some larger cemeteries, uh such as St. Charles or Pine Lawn, uh they do offer interest-free financing to if you purchase a cemetery plot with them, so you'll have time to pay it off, which most people do. Most people would um pay it off over time, and it's interest free. And uh, you know, that's another great uh pre-planning tool. Um you you save uh you're you know basically you're you're saving money and you're also um you know saving stress from your family at the time.

SPEAKER_01 19:41

And are you able to help coordinate all that or like introduce them to the right people or that?

SPEAKER_02 19:46

I can give them the number, you know, phone numbers to uh you know who uh who we recommend to speed them to speak with at the cemeteries, absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 19:53

And in terms of you know the actual services themselves, you know, when you know you go to awake and you see you know whether it be veterans groups or you know um different services and you know memorial services that take place, is that something you guys also help set up as well?

SPEAKER_02 20:08

Absolutely, yes. Well uh you know, if if dad was in a uh in a veterans group or fraternal organization, obviously we work with the uh the veterans group or the fraternal organization and we uh you know um set a time for them to come into the service. We help them with the service, we coordinate with them and all.

SPEAKER_01 20:25

Oh, that's that you make it seamless, which is so important. Absolutely. And that's a and that's another thing about you know the Mangano family funeral homes and and the the business, it being you know rooted in family. And I think when you have that personal touch, you know, again compared to like a large corporate conglomerate, it really does separate things and make things a whole lot, you know, better for people. Thank you. Yes. Um, you know, bringing it back to the Mangano Family Foundation and all the work that you do in the local community, um giving back to the youth and you know, putting together scholarship programs is something that has really been an important part of your focus. Absolutely. And I know um, you know, this year uh it's gonna be looking to expand, you know, to kind of all three communities, um Middle Island, Deer Park, and Riverhead. And uh talk a little bit about the scholarship, kind of how it originated and you know what are the steps and how does somebody is it for the fire departments, is it for their family members? Talking a little about kind of how that works and what what we could expect.

SPEAKER_02 21:34

So we we started our uh fire department scholarship uh in our Middle Island location for the um members of the Lonewood uh community. Uh the Longwood community which uh uh embraces uh Gordon Heights, Quorum, Middle Island, uh, Yapank, and Ridge. Um so that's basically all that uh uh encompasses the um Longwood School District. So there's five different fire departments there. So we have a uh scholarship um For each of the five fire departments. And uh the uh the only one uh main requirement is uh a family member or the student has to be uh part of one of the fire departments. And the chief and uh whoever the chief um nominates to uh uh help him select the uh the the recipient of the scholarship would then get to scholarship. So we we've been doing this for probably uh 15 years now. Wow, yeah, about no thirt uh excuse me, 13 years in the Longwood community.

SPEAKER_01 22:30

So that's fantastic. And now you should do a where are they now?

SPEAKER_02 22:34

Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 22:35

Oh, that'll be interesting.

SPEAKER_02 22:37

So and then this year we're gonna um uh also uh do that for uh GeoPark, uh uh North Babylon and also uh Dixales Fire Departments as well. And then uh next year we're gonna be working on uh bringing this out to Riverhead this program to Riverhead, the Riverhead Fire Department.

SPEAKER_01 22:53

Oh, that is that is great. Yeah, I mean our fire departments, you know, our first responders, I mean, just invaluable to the local community. And it's great to see that you guys are you know giving back and supporting that through the Mangano Family Funeral Homes and the Mangano Family Foundation. That is that is wonderful. Um you mentioned earlier, you know, like uh getting involved in the churches and giving back to the churches, and you know, you guys are really you know rooted very deeply in the local you know church communities. And I know you've supported churches, Ukrainian church in Riverhead and you know St. Cyril's and St. Matthew's and Deer Park and Dix Hills and churches in the town of Brookhaven. So talk to me a little bit about your relationship with the churches and you know how you're looking to continue to support them in the community.

SPEAKER_02 23:40

Absolutely. You know, we sponsor uh probably uh uh eight or ten uh church calendars uh throughout Suffolk County. Uh the Christmas calendars uh that they they put out uh you know for Christmas time. Uh I've personally been a coach um at two two different uh churches uh for the CYO program. Really? Yes, at person uh St. Matthews in uh Dixills and also uh uh St. Cyril's in uh Deer Park. What sport was that? Basketball. Wow. Yes, and I was a board member of the CYO uh board in uh Dix Hills.

SPEAKER_01 24:10

And is that where you got the is that where you got the nickname Dr. Sal from?

SPEAKER_02 24:15

So and I am currently uh board uh on the board of uh board of directors of um the uh South County uh PAL Police Athletic League.

SPEAKER_01 24:24

Oh they do a fantastic job. They do. That's great that you're involved with them.

SPEAKER_02 24:27

Yes. It's a great, great organization, uh great organization for uh our youth.

SPEAKER_01 24:33

And talk to me, you know, a little bit about, you know, if I'm I'm a high school student or I'm a mentoring college and you know I'm really intrigued with the funeral industry. What steps do I need to take? How do you how does somebody become you know a funeral director? Like what do you do? How do you get involved?

SPEAKER_02 24:54

I I would suggest um if there's someone really wants to become a funeral director, I would suggest they uh call a funeral home, get a part-time job at the funeral home to see if they actually like it before they enroll in school. You know, they would be uh you know uh uh watching the door, helping out in between wakes, setting up chairs, cleaning up uh the funeral home. Um you know, watching assisting uh on funerals, being a pallbearer and uh to see if they actually like the funeral business before they go into go to school, before they commit to to school.

SPEAKER_01 25:23

Have you had people say, I want to do this and go to school and then realize all this isn't for me?

SPEAKER_02 25:28

Absolutely. Absolutely. They don't know uh they don't know it's not a Monday through Friday nine to five job. The funeral business is a twenty-four-hour day, seven-day week, three hundred and sixty-five-day year uh commitment to your community.

SPEAKER_01 25:42

So that's that's a good point. So first step, try and get a part-time job in a local funeral home.

SPEAKER_02 25:51

Correct.

SPEAKER_01 25:52

Learn the learn the business, see what it's all about. Correct. And then, you know, from there, if you say, you know what, yeah, this is for me, look to potentially enroll in a program. And then do you have to do some type of like residency? Like it's uh Correct, correct.

SPEAKER_02 26:06

So after you do the uh all the schoolwork, you have to take a national board exam. And then after that after you pass uh the arts and sciences of the national board, there's two different tests you have to take. Then you have to do a year residency at a local funeral home. And then after that, uh after your residency is um almost over, you have to take a New York State board uh New York State law exam. And then once you pass the law exam and finish your residency, then you'll become a licensed funeral director.

SPEAKER_01 26:32

Wow. Yes. And how many uh how many employees do you have across all of your uh funeral homes?

SPEAKER_02 26:38

Um across all the funeral homes, um we probably have close to 25 employees.

SPEAKER_01 26:41

Okay. So and then you have directors at each location or correct, correct.

SPEAKER_02 26:46

We have directors at all three of our locations uh every day. And then we have uh you know support staff as well at all the locations.

SPEAKER_01 26:53

And so again, if I want to call and make a pre-planned funeral, I'm uh doing that by calling one of the local funeral homes or going to ManganoFH.com, which is the company's website, uh looking to make an inquiry, an online inquiry, or make a phone call, and I can get either Sal directly or I can get one of the funeral directors to answer my questions or help me out.

SPEAKER_02 27:15

Absolutely. Absolutely. Whatever questions you have, whatever questions uh anyone needs answered, but just yes, just please give us a call and we'll be more than happy to help.

SPEAKER_01 27:23

And the Mangano Family Foundation, I know, is you know, involved in so many different community organizations and and charities. And you know, this year um I know there's there's so much that's already taking place and continuing to take place, and even you know, a variety of different holidays, the uh the foundation looks to get involved and support and kind of give that extra special, you know, push to the local community. Um, oftentimes people don't realize that, you know, families who are, you know, maybe facing economic hardship um a little bit by you know giving a little extra, you know, goes a long way. So even on Valentine's Day, I know the the funeral homes and the foundation supported local senior centers and gave lottery tickets out to the uh local residents. And uh it's just a really tremendous thing that you guys do. Um any other you know, kind of support that you're looking to give this year, any other groups, you know, veterans I know you said was very important to you.

SPEAKER_02 28:21

And absolutely veterans, veterans groups. Um we try to see whatever our community needs and we try to be there to help our community whenever the community needs us.

SPEAKER_01 28:30

Yeah, no, that is uh that is fantastic. And um, you know, one more one more one more parting thing. So if if people are looking to get a hold of you, uh how do they how do they get a hold of the uh the funeral homes and and Sal and the Foundation, where could they go to do that?

SPEAKER_02 28:45

As uh you mentioned previously, you could uh you know uh go on a website which is ManganoFH.com, or you could call uh the our main office, which is 631-586-3600.

SPEAKER_01 29:00

Sal, thank you very much. This was the Mangano Family Foundation show, doing good. And again, this program is dedicated to highlighting positive stories in the community, including the work of the Mangano Family Foundation, the Mangano Family Funeral Homes. Thanks everybody for tuning in. Look forward to hearing from you next time.