P.S. 304 Penny Harvest benefits TNVAC

The Throggs Neck Volunteer Ambulance Corps got a boost from elementary school children who raised $1,000 to benefit what has become a community staple.

Through the Penny Harvest program, children from P.S. 304 connected with their parents, friends, neighbors, and local businesses to collect pennies and other spare change for a special charity of their choice.

“Every year, the children collect their pennies as the young philanthropists of 304,” parent coordinator Lisa Reilly stated. “This year, they wanted to give back to those that help save lives in the Throggs Neck Community – TNVAC.”

The volunteer organization has been providing quality ambulatory care free of charge to the community for the past 29 years, prompting local officials like Borough President Adolfo Carrion, Jr., Assemblyman Michael Benedetto, Councilman Jimmy Vacca, and Throggs Neck Merchants Association president John Cerini to show up at a ceremony held on Friday, June 13 in its honor.

“You are saying thank you to these men and woman who give of their time,” Carrion told the children, who collected pennies for more than two months, before announcing his own contribution. “I am matching your thousand dollars with another thousand,” he added. 

TNVAC organizer Bill Heaney accepted a check from the children, and told them that when they turned 18, they all had a place within the volunteer group, which has a good relationship with all area schools, often participating in their health fairs.

One elected official told the students that the money they raised would translate to better health for all in the community.

“All those little pennies added up to a lot of money,” Assemblyman Benedetto stated. “The money you gave may save the life of someone in the community.”

Throggs Neck Volunteer Ambulance Corps, Penny Harvest, P.S. 304, Lisa Reilly, TNVAC, donation