Ridgewood Boy Scout Makes Care Packages For Seniors

RIDGEWOOD, NJ — Ridgewood senior citizens recently got a little help from some fellow residents of the younger generation.

In early April, 15-year-old Michael Merlino worked with his Boy Scout Troop 4 and created a plan to collect donations and put together care packages for senior citizens who are living alone and struggling to get necessities.

After creating a list of toiletries and food items for troop members to collect, Merlino, along with his friend Daniel Weispfenning, 17, compiled a list of elderly parishioners from the Westside Presbyterian Church.

The teens collected enough donations from Ridgewood residents to help 15 seniors with a few days of groceries, including toilet paper, according to a statement from the Merlino family.

In abiding by social distancing rules, Merlino placed a box for drop-offs on his family’s front porch. Once they were received, he would disinfect each item and begin assembling “care packages” to give to seniors.

Merlino, along with his brother Nicholas and Weispfenning, wrote notes to each senior and delivered the packages.

Motivated by one instance of giving, Merlino also collected non-perishable food items and toiletries to be donated to Father English Food Pantry in Paterson. According to the family, he collected over 25 bags of items that were delivered to the pantry.

Merlino and the Boy Scout Troop received letters of thanks from some recipients of the care packages. Read the transcript of one of them below:

Dear Michael,
It was so thoughtful of you and your Boy Scout Troop to think of the senior citizens in our church, and provide them with such a wonderful care package.
Every items in the bag will be graciously used.
Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness.