“More Art, More Flowers, More Joy” Lois and Richard Nicotra Gift $1,000 to Every Elementary School on Staten Island; $150,000 awarded in total

The Lois & Richard Nicotra Foundation granted nearly $150,000 in grants and scholarships to Staten Island schools, nonprofits, and scholarship recipients on Thursday, October 17th?as more than 250 attendees gathered in the Nicotras’ art and flower-filled campus center, The Circle, near their 1441 South Avenue Corporate Commons Three, Class A office building.

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Steps away, the two social enterprise eateries that the Nicotras funded and founded, the COMMONS café and Pienza Brick Oven Pizza Café, were busy with quick service for guests, serving hot coffee, salads, sandwiches, Grandma Pies, and rice balls, among other offerings. Much of the menu features fresh produce and herbs from Nicotra Grown Organic Rooftop Farm. The farm fresh aspect of the restaurants, plus the Nicotras’ commitment to give away 100% of the profits from these two eateries to fund the grants and scholarships they award bi-annually, in the style of well-known social enterprise entrepreneur and actor Paul Newman, makes the eateries the only restaurants of their type in the Borough and in New York City.

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Since 2011, the Nicotras, Staten Island’s largest private real estate developers and owners of the Hilton Garden Inn Staten Island, Hampton Inn & Suites Staten Island, and more than 1 million sf of Class A office space, have gifted more than $1.4MM in total giving to the Staten Island community. This Fall Foundation Ceremony marked a first with the awarding of $1,000 ‘LOVEducation’ grants to every elementary school in the Borough, in addition to their traditional grants gifted to local nonprofits and scholarships awarded to the Nicotras’ employees’ children and grandchildren.

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Lois Nicotra shared, “every Nicotra Foundation Grant Ceremony is special because we bring together good people doing good in our community, and by handing each group a check, we are supporting their efforts, and, we hope, telling them to push onward and keep making a difference.” Mrs. Nicotra continued, explaining that those gathered to receive grants and those who dine at their social enterprise eateries to give back know that “social responsibility is so rewarding. Together, we bring together good people doing good things in our community.”

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Kristine Albano Garlisi , Executive Director of The Lois & Richard Nicotra Foundation, welcomed all recipients, including representatives from every Island elementary school. Garlisi explained, “in the Spring, the Nicotras announced their intention to create a new ‘LOVEducation’ effort – gifting $1,000 to each elementary school on Staten Island from shore to shore, working with the school community to bring in or expand access to the arts, music or farm/gardening education, or to bring your students to a cultural site, urban agriculture experience, or any related museum or performance to expand Staten Island students’ experiential learning. Today, we gather to realize the first step in providing that opportunity to the children of our Borough, thanks to the Nicotras’ vision and generosity.”

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“We have had many meetings over the last few months, and we have more meetings ahead. We want to explore how we can expand the impact of The Nicotra Foundation and bring more good things to our Borough; more art, more flowers, more music and more joy,” explained Lois Nicotra.

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Reaction to the support for education was warmly received. “Every elementary school in District 31 received a $1,000 check that they will put towards an arts or garden project, something that makes Staten Island even more beautiful than it is. We thank The Nicotra Foundation for their continued support for our schools; any time anyone has to ask for money, it’s a hardship for our schools. When schools can get support without having to ask for it, it removes the barrier that keeps them from meeting the goals they have for their students,” shared Roderick Palton, Ed.D. , Acting Superintendent District 31.

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“The Nicotra Foundation awarding each elementary school on Staten Island funding towards the arts, flowers, drama, and music sends an important message about the importance of enrichment for our students. It gives the students the opportunity to express themselves through the arts, which is a great way to improve their intellectual and social development. We are so grateful to The Nicotra Foundation for all they’ve done to enrich the lives of the students in schools on Staten Island,” stated Jann Amato , Regional Superintendent of Catholic Schools on Staten Island

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Each school is able to select the project or program that best suits their community. “St. Charles School would like to thank The Nicotra Foundation for their grant which we will use toward our Horticulture Club. This club will be a hands-on club where we will be purchasing a greenhouse; we are going to do a cistern with water and learning about hydroponics. This is an amazing opportunity for our school, and I thank the Nicotras for giving us that opportunity,” expressed J.C. Kiernan, Principal of St. Charles Schools

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“I service a school in Park Hill in Stapleton, and The Nicotra Foundation funding is important to us because it allows the students the opportunity to pick the type of program that they want, and it also allows us to see what giving back is like here on Staten Island. This day is amazing for us because we often look for grants and donations and we don’t always see it happen in our own backyard, so to see a group of educators like me gather to receive this generous donation is fulfilling,” expressed Kamor Olayokun, Jr , Principal P.S. 84 Waverly Academy of Empowered Learners.

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Some present described how the Nicotras have long been a part of their Staten Island story. “My history with the Nicotras started in 2007 when I was married (at the Hilton Garden Inn) and the Nicotras are just so lovely, and they come to every single affair. Then I purchased a house on Staten Island and continued to (come to the Hilton) to go out to eat,” Jodi Contento , Principal of P.S. 78, described. “About 7 years later I became a Principal in a high needs area, and we worked with The Nicotra Foundation. They were able to give us, in the past, jackets for our students in the cold weather, and most recently they gifted us this funding for a project we are really excited about. We are going to add a waterproof bookcase in our outdoor Reading Garden. We can’t wait to get started.”

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Richard Nicotra, Owner, The Nicotra Group , addressed those present and shared how he and his wife were focused on the food they serve, knowing that, “people will only dine with them if the food is delicious, even if we are giving away 100% of the profits”. The real estate developer and philanthropist also described the couple’s journey to this moment, and what they envision for the future.

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“We are giving $1,000 to each grammar school and we are saying ‘what are you going to do with that’ – we want them to pay it forward”, shared Nicotra. “We are interested to see what the schools can do with that $1,000 – years ago we gave $50 away, then $100, and now we are giving $1,000 away. The bottom line is that everything that we have is going to go to our Foundation, so all of these office buildings and all of these hotels, everything, will benefit our Borough. The Nicotra Foundation will be the biggest Foundation on Staten Island and the money is going to stay here, and we love that idea. We love Staten Island.”