@.riosrx: Now THIS is what I’m talking about! You want to see a community thrive? Start investing in the young people. And sometimes, all it takes is one person willing to say, “I see you, I believe in you, and I’m rooting for you!” That’s how you make a difference, y’all. This is how you show up for your community! At Zack’s Finest Deli & Grocery on Staten Island, students bring their report cards to Wail Alselwi, the co-owner and manager known as “Island Ock,” and leave with snacks, prizes or cash through his Grades for Grabs program. This idea began in 2023 with a deal between Alselwi and a neighborhood student: bring in good grades, and earn a reward from the store. Videos of those visits helped introduce the program to kids all over the city. Students with top averages have received $100, food and a T-shirt. But Alselwi also rewards students who move from failing grades to passing ones. The program gives children who are still improving a reason to bring their report cards through the door. Alselwi initially paid for the rewards himself. As participation grew, online supporters helped fund the effort through GoFundMe. Some kids even stop by to share test results even when they are not collecting a reward. The brothers remember regular customers and their favorite orders, making school progress part of an ongoing relationship at the store. Photo: @nycdreamproject / Instagram, via Good Good Good. Sources: • GoFundMe - “Inspire Academic Excellence with Islandock.” • USA TODAY / The Spokesman-Review - “Kids are lining up at this Staten Island bodega with report cards. Here’s why.” • Good Good Good - “NYC bodega owner inspires kids to get good grades by giving out free food: ‘My dream is to bring my own children here.’” #IslandOck #GradesForGrabs #StatenIsland #CommunitySupport #StudentSuccess

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Saturday 24 October 2026 19:06:37 GMT