Donuts For Heroes: Bridgewater Grad Donates To Healthcare Workers

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — Bridgewater-Raritan High School graduate Ryan Ozlins is using something so simple as a doughnut to bring smiles to those fighting on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic while also lending a helping hand to other restaurateurs.

Ozlins, owner of The Good Donut Shop, launched his Donuts for Heroes campaign on a whim. He challenged the community to donate a box of donuts to healthcare workers and overnight received $1,400 in donations.

Since then Ozlins has teamed up with the Front Line Appreciation Group of Somerville to help coordinate the donations. He has been able to serve up thousands of doughnut box with personal messages to healthcare workers at central and northern New Jersey hospitals including Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset.

New Jersey Coronavirus Updates: Don't miss local and statewide announcements about novel coronavirus precautions. Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters.

"From day one — the vision of the Good Donut Shop has been to find tangible ways to celebrate and support what's good in our community," said Ozlins. "It can be really easy to focus on what's missing from our community. Lost loved ones. Lost income. Loss of any sense of normalcy. The Good Donut Shop exists to celebrate and support the good that exists. Right now the healthcare heroes are keeping us alive!"

Along with his donations, Ozlins is also helping out area businesses struggling amid the outbrreak by opening his pop-up shop inside.

Ozlins and his family live in Somerville and this is where he is hoping one day to open a store front for his doughnut business.

He had been talking with Byron Salazar, his friend and owner of Surf Turf & Earth in Somerville, about looking for a place to open for pop up.

"When the quarantine hit I said, 'Lets try a pop-up and see how it goes.' It got out of control," Ozlins said after opening at Turf Surf & Earth.

On the first night he had close to 100 pre-orders and more coming into the restaurant as walk-ins.

"I figured people who were coming in to get dinner could also pickup donuts as well. I could try to boost his business while things were slow for him," Ozlins said.

Since then Ozlins has expanded his pop-up to open in locations across central and northern New Jersey.

Coming up The Good Donut Shop will be at Gabriel’s Fountain at 1948 Washington Valley Rd. in Martinsville from 4 to 6 p.m. and Turf, Surf & Earth at 46 E Main St. in Somerville from noon to 8 p.m.

"I find this is a real, tangible way to add value to the community," Ozlins said.

For more information on The Donut Shop, pop-up locations, to pre-order donuts or to donate to Donuts For Heroes visit thegooddonutshop.com, facebook.com/GoodDonutShop or instagram.com/gooddonutshop.

Read more: NJ Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know

Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com.

Get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our new app. Download here.