LI Pizza Strong Fundraises For Slain Officer's Family, 3 Charities

LONG ISLAND, NY — LI Pizza Strong is set to host its second fundraiser.

At least 225 pizzerias from across Long Island will donate $5 for every pie sold on April 17 to the family of slain NYPD Jonathan Diller and three pro-police charities: Beyond the Badge NY, Project Thank A Cop and the Silver Shield Foundation.

Participating pizzerias can be found on the LI Pizza Strong website, sorted by county.

Diller, 31, was a member of the NYPD for three years. He lived in Massapequa Park with his wife and toddler.

Guy Rivera, 34, was accused of fatally shooting Diller during a traffic stop in Far Rockaway on Monday, authorities said. Rivera has been arrested more than 20 times in the city and has nine felonies on his rap sheet, officials said. Rivera was released from prison in September 2021 after serving nearly five years for criminal sale of a controlled substance, ABC7 reported.

After Diller's death, pizzerias reached out to Alyssa Guidice, who founded LI Pizza Strong with Jim Serpico of Side Hustle Bread and Anthony Laurino from Phil’s Pizza in Syosset, asking her if they would reconvene LI Pizza Strong.

Serpico said the entire Long Island community is still mourning Diller's loss after he was shot during a traffic stop.

"It is a tragic reminder of the risks and sacrifices that our dedicated police officers face every day while bravely serving and protecting our communities," said Serpico, who called Diller's death "senseless."

Serpico said Diller's memory and legacy will never be forgotten.

"His selfless service and dedication to upholding the law will continue to inspire us all. I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of the charity LI Pizza Strong, along with Alyssa Guidice and Anthony Laurino."

The group will split all money evenly among four causes: Diller's family and the three charities.

Beyond The Badge NY focuses on raising suicide and mental health awareness in the first responder community.

Project Thank A Cop wishes to communicate to law enforcement officers that "most citizens wish to express their gratitude to police officers" and does so by sending positive messages, snack baskets, catered meals and more.

Silver Shield Foundation raises funds to provide educational support for the children and surviving spouses of police officers, firefighters and EMS members killed in the line of duty.

"We decided to do the three other charities because we wanted to help other families that have gone through a similar situation," Guidice said. "These three charities offer different aspects."

Laurino, in charge of Phil's Pizza in Syosset for 18 years, is delighted by the response from his pie-making colleagues.

"It's great to see everybody coming together," Laurino said.

But as large as the participating list is, "there's no reason every single pizzeria on Long Island should not be involved in this."

Guidice, who runs the Facebook group Dine-LI, said she is excited about the fundraiser, as a pizzeria from South Carolina has even signed on.

"This collective effort is a testament to the immense respect and support our community has for those who serve in law enforcement," Serpico said.

Making this fundraiser possible was helped by connections in the industry along with a more 21st-century way of finding people.

"I have a big following, close to 40,000 followers," Laurino said. "A lot of it comes from social media, honestly."

LI Pizza Strong's first fundraiser raised $102K for the victims of the Farmingdale High School bus crash tragedy, which happened on Sept. 21. Proceeds went to five pools: the students who were critically injured, non-critically injured students, the families of Gina Pellettiere and Bea Ferrari, and the school for marching band equipment, said Jim Serpico, one of the Long Island Pizza Strong organizers.

Pellettiere, 43, of Massapequa, and Ferrari, 77, of Farmingdale, were killed when the bus carrying the marching band to Greeley, Pennsylvania, for an annual band camp crashed and tumbled down a 50-foot ravine in Orange County.

Pellettiere was a single mother of a 2-year-old boy and the Farmingdale band director. Ferrari was a retired teacher who chaperoned the band camp trip each year.

That tragedy led to $102,200 getting donated from 140 participating pizzerias, Guidice said.

Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino gave LI Pizza Strong a proclamation in naming Oct. 25 Long Island Pizza Day, spurring the group to resume the one-day fundraising.

"Then this happened," Guidice said. "A lot of pizzerias reached out to me."

Guidice, who has over a decade in the restaurant industry, said seeing the pizzerias come together in times of need is rewarding.

"Being able to use food businesses to give back is what I've been trying to do," she said. "It's been real successful so far."

LI Pizza Strong fundraising events will be brought back when it's a "good, worthy cause," Guidice said.

Laurino added: "We all almost went out of business during COVID. We're all in the same boat."