STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The Lois and Richard Nicotra Foundation awarded $19,000 in grants and scholarships on Staten Island Thursday — the foundation’s largest quarterly donation.
After a year in business, the Commons Cafe, located at the Teleport in Bloomfield, has donated more than $106,000 to local charities, and single donations, at first mostly $500 to $1,000, are now regularly reaching $1,500.
All of the cafe’s proceeds are donated following the Newman’s Own model, where all profits from the late actor’s Newman’s Own product line are donated to charities.
The Commons Cafe mainly serves businesses located in Staten Island Corporate Park, including the Teleport, and as more offices fill the space, more workers and clients will eat at the cafe and increase profits, which Nicotra hopes will top $250,000 a year once all the offices are rented.