{"id":26249,"date":"2025-11-02T23:13:08","date_gmt":"2025-11-02T23:13:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/26249\/"},"modified":"2025-11-02T23:13:08","modified_gmt":"2025-11-02T23:13:08","slug":"borough-rallies-to-give-staten-island-vendor-with-cerebral-palsy-the-gift-of-rest-how-to-donate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/26249\/","title":{"rendered":"Borough rallies to give Staten Island vendor with cerebral palsy the gift of rest: How to donate"},"content":{"rendered":"

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. \u2014 A new GoFundMe campaign<\/a> is aiming to give one of Staten Island\u2019s most familiar faces \u2014 Andy, the roadside vendor known for his unwavering work ethic despite living with cerebral palsy \u2014 the rare gift of rest.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery day, Andy is out there working with resilience and a positive attitude,\u201d wrote Jen Remauro, who organized the fundraiser titled Paying It Forward: A Holiday Fund for Andy. \u201cWe want to raise money so Andy can take a well-deserved few days off this holiday season. Perhaps plan a small vacation, like a cruise, with his own hardworking parents. Or simply buy himself something nice to enjoy this winter.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Remauro, the effort carries deep personal meaning. Her late brother, Robert Remauro, also had cerebral palsy. \u201cRobert also worked tirelessly despite his cerebral palsy and always faced the world with a bright smile, just like Andy,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n

Seeing Andy pushing his candy cart up the Hylan Boulevard expressway ramp \u201cbrought back deep memories\u201d of her brother\u2019s determination.<\/p>\n

Remauro hopes Staten Islanders will join her in helping Andy take a break from the long days and harsh weather he endures year-round. \u201cYour contribution is more than just money,\u201d Remauro wrote. \u201cIt\u2019s a message of respect and appreciation that he will be able to read and cherish.\u201d <\/p>\n

Remauro has pledged to print every donation and message and hand-deliver them to Andy before Christmas.<\/p>\n

Familiar figure at a busy intersection<\/p>\n

Andy\u2019s stand on Narrows Road South near the Hylan Boulevard overpass has become a landmark of persistence. For more than two decades, he has sold snacks and drinks to passing motorists \u2014 six days a week, in all weather.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are panhandlers across Staten Island,\u201d once wrote Tom Checchi, former manager at the Staten Island Advance. <\/a>\u201cTapping on car windows at intersections. Staking out locations at strip malls. Wandering around and in the ferry terminal. And then there is Andy. <\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s not a panhandler. He\u2019s the epitome of a self-made and extremely motivated businessman.\u201d<\/p>\n

Checchi continued that Andy, wearing a yellow safety vest in summer, stocks his cart with chips, cookies, pumpkin seeds, and cold beverages \u2014 all sold at fair prices. <\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want the government help,\u201d Andy told Checchi one sunny afternoon. \u201cNo Social Security, no help.\u201d<\/p>\n

Checchi described the countless drivers who honk, wave, or stop for a brief purchase \u2014 small gestures that have built a quiet community around Andy\u2019s corner. <\/p>\n

\u201cSimply put, Andy is an inspiration,\u201d Checchi wrote. <\/p>\n

Work, weather, unfailing determination<\/p>\n

Andy\u2019s days begin before sunrise. He loads his cart at 5:30 a.m. and works until evening. Over the years he has faced robbery, the loss of regular customers during the pandemic, and countless weather extremes. <\/p>\n

Yet, as Remauro\u2019s fundraiser points out, \u201cAndy sells candy, but what he\u2019s truly offering commuters is a daily, profound lesson in unbreakable determination.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite the challenges of cerebral palsy \u2014 a condition that affects his motor coordination and speech \u2014 Andy insists on earning his living through honest work. <\/p>\n

To donate, please click here.<\/a><\/p>\n

Remauro hopes the community that has cheered Andy from car windows will now come together to return the favor. \u201cLet\u2019s find it in our hearts to help Andy relax and recharge this Christmas season,\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n

And perhaps, after nearly three decades braving Staten Island\u2019s rain, snow, and summer heat, Andy might finally enjoy a few days of well-earned respite.<\/p>\n

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement<\/a> and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and\/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. \u2014 A new GoFundMe campaign is aiming to give one of Staten Island\u2019s most familiar…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":26250,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"tags":[9,24,63,134,136,135],"class_list":["post-26249","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-staten-island","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-city","tag-nyc","tag-staten-island","tag-staten-island-headlines","tag-staten-island-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26249","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26249"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26249\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26250"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26249"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26249"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26249"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}