Franklin Square-based cell phone store donates pizza to local hospitals

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NYCOM Cellular Corporation employees raised nearly $3,800 to donate pizza to local hospital workers between March 23 and March 27.

“It was pretty remarkable,” said Michael Sperduto, the manager of the FranklinSquare-based cell phone store, “considering it only spanned a few days.”

The fundraiser began, he said, after one of his employees, Maurizio Fabrizi, suggested they pool their money to buy pizza pies for a local hospital, and Sperduto suggested they instead raise more money by asking for donations, “and see where it takes us.”

So, on March 21, Sperduto posted about the idea on Facebook. If they received more donations than they expected, he said, they would purchase other gift cards for medical professionals. 

“Not only are we helping out those on the front lines working countless hours,” he wrote, “but also supporting businesses in our neighborhood.”

By the end of the fundraiser, on the 27, the cellular phone store employees had raised $3,790 from donations ranging from $10 to $100. 

They then used that money to buy Long Island Jewish New Hyde Park employees pizza pies from King Umberto on March 31.

“Everyone is very thankful for all the food donations that are being sent to the staff at the hospital,” Bambi Campbell-Henry, assistant nurse manager for the hospital’s emergency department, said in a statement. “We greatly appreciate the community standing by us, especially right now.”

NYCOM employees are also planning on donating 60 pies to NYU Winthrop employees in the future.