Ralph Trionfo
Whether it’s organizing fundraiser to send supplies to those affected after Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, organizing a fun event to benefit the local Boys and Girls Club or delivering food during the Covid lockdown, this is a big part of who I am.
A bright spot during the early days of Covid was my long-standing relationships with local non-for-profit groups. The world was hurting, my neighbors needed help and thankfully many charitable organizations stepped-up. . Many of our neighbors especially the elderly could not leave their homes, so we went to them. Serving my community with urgency, a sense of purpose is automatic. I met other wonderful volunteers that shared the same passion. We packed food bags for a weekly food pantry, we walked-up to the nice lady on the 4th floor. Helping others helped me.
I’m a “club kid” at the age of ten years old, I was perfecting my backstroke on the swim team at the Boys and Girls Club of Queens. After-school I would take the subway to get to the club to do my homework, shoot basketball and play with other kids. I personally know first-hand how important these clubs these activities are to the youth and families in our communities.
As an “adult” I reconnected with the club as an active volunteer. Eventually I was asked to join the board of directors and participated on every committee and attended every event. It’s the largest after-school program in Western Queens. This program cares for nearly 200 children during after school hours for a safe, active and positive environment as a constructive alternative to the streets. It was fun to participate in the following commercial (voice over and audience).
