Group to host Sunday luncheon at renovated superstorm-damaged eatery on Staten Island
Formerly the Marina Grand catering hall, the Mansion Grand added Alissia’s Café, an Italian/continental restaurant, to the catering site following renovations in the wake of Superstorm Sandy.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Organizers of The SI Sandy Relief Fund will pay tribute this weekend to the storm-ravaged families they helped and the volunteers who brought the organization’s humanitarian goals to fruition.
The grass-roots group will host a luncheon on Sunday [Dec. 15], 1 to 3 p.m., for the volunteers and affected families at the Mansion Grand, 141 Mansion Ave., in the Staten Island community of Great Kills.
Formerly the Marina Grand catering hall, the Mansion Grand added Alissia’s Café, an Italian/continental restaurant, to the catering site following renovations in the wake of Sandy.
“We’re glad to host the event at a business located on Staten Island’s storm-torn shoreline,” said Lee Maschler, a founder and board member of The SI Sandy Relief Fund. “The Mansion Grand (featuring Alissia’s Café) is an iconic site that spotlights the endurance of the Island.”
Since launching in the aftermath of Sandy, the charity group distributed nearly $120,000 to 10 Staten Island families in desperate need of assistance following the superstorm.
Joseph D’Alessio, a co-owner of the Mansion Grand and Alissia’s Café, expressed his appreciation for the efforts of The SI Sandy Relief Fund and others who stepped forward to help their fellow neighbors on Staten Island.
“It’s all about people helping people, even under the most difficult and unexpected conditions,” D’Alessio said. “Each individual associated with The SI Sandy Relief Fund understood this from the start and selflessly embraced the opportunity to help others in need. They and others like them are the type of people that make Staten Island so special.”
Assistance ranged from money and repairs to tangible basics, such as housing, vehicles, furniture, toasters, toiletries, school supplies, and more.
“A lot of the work during the past year was performed behind the scenes – raising funds, coordinating contractors, assessing needs, and delivering essentials,” Maschler said. “Sunday’s luncheon will give us an opportunity to be with all the families and volunteers on one day, as we mark the one-year anniversary of our organization, and look forward to 2014.”
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Media Contact (The SI Sandy Relief Fund):
Liz Bruce
Fitzroy Communications
680 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10019
T: 212.498.9197
M: 917.733.0876
Media Contact (Mansion Grand, Alissia’s Café):
Barton Horowitz
Relevant Public Relations, LLC
Headquarters: 718‑682‑1509
Mobile: 917‑715‑8761
Email: Bhorowitz@RelevantPR.com
