Welcome to Italian Club Staten Island!

The Italian Club of Staten Island Fooundation, Inc.

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Italian Club of Staten Island Foundation logo

Our Mission:

To bring together business and professional men of Italian origin and unite them in the close bond of friendship and good fellowship and assist them by every honorable means to attain eminence and good standing in the community, in their vocations and avocations.

To exercise, promote and protect the privileges and interests of its members and of the residents of the community; to foster an active interest in the civic affairs of the community and to develop good citizenship.

To encourage active participation in all movements which have to do with commercial, civic, educational and cultural betterment.

To give primacy to the human and spiritual values of life; to encourage living by the Golden Rule in human relationships; to promote the application of high social, business and professional standards; to provide through this organization a practical means to form enduring friendships; to render altruistic service and to build a better community by rendering useful the unique and distinctive qualities of the heritage and culture of the Italian people.

Who We Are. . .

In 1950, eight prominent Italian Americans met at the instance of Daniel Santoro and decided to organize a club to promote "closer cooperation and better understanding among our leading Italian Americans in the business and professional fields. The membership roster reveals that our purpose has in a measure been achieved". This quotation from the program of our very first Dinner Dance tells the beginning of the story, which continues through today.

From the original eight, our membership has expanded to our current two hundred plus and over the course of fifty years well over a thousand Italian Americans have graced our membership roster. Over the years our membership has included many accomplished businessmen and professionals.

Our club, in its effort to meet its original mission, has developed a commitment to community involvement at a variety of levels. From the earliest days the club has been committed to the youth of Staten Island. It is that commitment that has made the Club Scholarship program a constant throughout the years. The amount, the criteria may have changed over time but never the commitment to the scholarship. Today our scholarship is a four-year scholarship totaling $4,000.00 over four years, awarded annually.

Each year the club sponsors a food drive between the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday. This food drive has brought a complete basket of food to over 240 needy families across Staten Island each year. Our membership raises the necessary funds, goes shopping for the food so that every recipient receives a similar basket of food, packs the baskets and delivers the food directly to the recipients. Possibly the most rewarding program to our individual members is the Food Drive.

In addition to the Scholarship Program and Food Drive, we have expanded our civic donations to include the American Red Cross, Hospice of Greater New York, Firemen's Widow Fund, Staten Island Save a Heart Foundation, New York City Burn Center, Cystic Fibrosis, Cooley's Anemia, The Aurora Group, Leukemia Society of Staten Island, American Cancer Society and American Diabetes Association, to name just a few.

The organization has proudly marched as representatives of Italian Heritage in the annual Staten Island Columbus Day Parade, as well as participating in many worthwhile endeavors to heighten awareness of Italian culture and pride.

Over the course of time the club sponsored youth, educational and cultural programs have included communion breakfasts, high school mentoring programs, and the recognition of excellence in Italian language study. Most recently, our commitment has been to the Aurora program. This program teaches Italian culture and Italian language to grammar school age children.

Besides the club's civic and charitable endeavors, the club has always focused a portion of it attention to the social needs of its members. To meet these social needs the club has formed long-standing traditions such as an Annual Fall Picnic, a Memorial Mass to honor our deceased members, and an Annual Bacchanal Feast. At the same time the club has recognized the achievements of its members by awarding an annual achievement award to one of its members in recognition of his service both within and outside the club to the Staten Island community.

This website celebrates the accomplishments, traditions and history of this club and offers exciting information of a bright future of continued commitment to our heritage, our community, and our families.