By Cindy J. Roth
What is most inspiring about The Inter City Kids Foundation, which DelleDonne runs almost completely on his own, is its focus on "senior power" to benefit children.
"We're not going anywhere," said DelleDonne of senior citizens. "But to move forward, we need to be involved in a worthwhile cause. I'll do it until I die. I'll never give it up."
Now DelleDonne is turning to his own Bellmore community to support disadvantaged children. The Inter City Kids Foundation is hosting a new and used books, toys and games drive at the Bellmore Stop and Shop at Newbridge Road and Jerusalem Avenue throughout May.
"It's well worthwhile what I'm doing, but more people need to be involved," said DelleDonne. "You help one, and one will help others. It's a chain reaction."
Items donated to the foundation will be distributed among Head Start and several after-school programs throughout Long Island. DelleDonne said giving reading materials and games to underprivileged children to use over the summer will sharpen their minds.
"We're worrying about kids around the world, but what about in our own backyards?" said DelleDonne, a former floral and landscape designer. "Give them the goodies today instead of tomorrow. It's better than building jails."
Functioning without government funding, Inter City Kids Foundation is networking with local businesses to help defray the out-of-pocket expenses DelleDonne continues to endure to keep his foundation afloat. The Bellmorite, who grew up in a family with eight siblings and knows what it is to have and have not, believes those in need across the Island would benefit if charitable organizations teamed up. DelleDonne believes foundations would be most effective if they pooled their resources together, instead of having several similar organizations trying to accomplish related goals on smaller scales.
"I have a vision of making it huge," said DelleDonne. "I think no children should be homeless. That's my dream. It can happen. We need networking between different organizations. We have to wake up to that reality. Everyone is doing a great job, but no one's pulling it together big time. You need experience, and seniors have it."
DelleDonne's long-term plans for the foundation include building shelters to house Long Island's indigent population. At the shelters, though, DelleDonne said he would teach people basic living skills so they survive once on their feet and ready to leave the shelter.
"Michael has had a dream for a long time, and it's very admirable," said Jim Reed, deputy commissioner of Nassau County's Office of Consumer Affairs. Reed assists DelleDonne with the foundation. "He has a pure desire to help both youth and seniors, and he's doing it. He has tenacity."
DelleDonne called Reed a one-man army that does everything and said his other volunteers, Diane and Maxwell Szczerbiak, are also a tremendous help. DelleDonne said he hopes more people will become involved with helping others in whatever capacity they can. For him, the foundation is more than a full time job, it's a way of life.
"It's like a marriage," said DelleDonne of the foundation. "I've put so much time and energy into it. Kids in the low-income suburban areas really need the help to elevate them from the risk areas. They need to think they have a chance."
Items collected will be donated to less fortunate children across Long Island and to several after-school programs. Items will be collected at the store's customer service desk.
