His acts of kindness!
Teen raises thousands to support homeless, frontline workers, small businesses
BY JESSICA PARKS
A teenager helped support
frontline workers across
Brooklyn while simultaneously
supporting small businesses
after launching a fundraiser
that raised thousands
of dollars.
John Ciafone, a 17-year-old
student at Columbia Grammar
and Preparatory School
in Manhattan, started the
money-raising effort in August
to support small businesses
in Brooklyn, and raised over
$5,000 in just a few days, which
became $10,000 as his mother’s
friend offered to match the
amount of money he raised.
“It was really cool to see
that people still care about
others, and they still want to
give back to the community
whether through someone or
directly,” Ciafone said. “It just
really warms my heart.”
The funds were used to
purchase doughnuts from Peter
Pan Donuts and Pastry
Shop in Greenpoint, which
the Queens native said he selected
COURIER L 6 IFE, JANUARY 15-21, 2021
because he knew the
owners could use the support
as the pandemic has forced
many small businesses in the
city to close their doors.
The dozens and dozens
of doughnuts were then delivered
by Ciafone and his
mother to hospitals across the
borough for frontline workers
to enjoy — all while also helping
a local business in need
with his large purchase.
“We donated the food to the
hospitals for the employees,
doctors, the nurses and even
some of the patients,” Ciafone
said.
After his summer of giving
was over, Ciafone left his Go-
FundMe page up and people
kept on donating without Ciafone’s
knowledge until December
when he noticed the additional
funds and took action.
“I kept that page up and I recently
found out that I gained
another $2,000,” he said.
This time, he went and
bought coats and boots among
other children’s clothing and
personally delivered them to
homeless and family shelters
across the borough, giving kids
the pick of their favorite jacket.
“We went to a few different
homeless and family shelters
and we donated jackets to the
little kids who didn’t have jackets,”
Ciafone said. “And it was
really amazing to see because
they were really excited.”
Ciafone said the excitement
in the children’s eyes about
their new coats is what makes
all of his efforts worth it.
“A little girl saw a red jacket
that caught her eye, and luckily
it was her size,” Ciafone
said. “And her eyes lit up and
it was really nice to see.”
Seeing all of the loss people
were experiencing as a result
of the pandemic while he sat
comfortably on his couch is
what the high school student
said inspired him to help those
less fortunate than him.
“My whole life I haven’t
had to worry about when I am
going to eat my next meal or if
I am going to sleep in my own
bed at night,” Ciafone said. “I
saw a lot on the news about
how people were struggling,
how people had to leave their
home… and that really upset
me and saddened me and I
wanted to do something about
it.”
John Ciafone (center) donated jackets to homeless children.
Photo courtesy of John Ciafone
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