Seaford bagel store honored for their generosity

Aiding war veterans can take on all shapes and sizes, and the charitable contribution made to them by one Seaford store is round with a hole in the middle.

The owners of Seaford Bagels, at 3970 Merrick Road, have donated bagels to a veterans group for its holiday breakfast charity events.

As a result, the storeowners were honored with a plaque as a show of appreciation for giving back to their community and to veterans. On Feb. 24, several members of the Catholic War Veterans Post 1772 in Queens, including Stephen Biscotti, John Vosilla, John Scalesi, Henry Hernandez and Commander Raymond Fortune, stopped by the store for a ceremony to present a plaque to owner John Scannello and manager Virginia Glenn for their contributions.

State Sen. Steve Rhoads was also in attendance to commemorate the success of their donations, and presented a proclamation to the storeowners.

For Easter and Christmas, the Queens post hosts charity events for veterans. Biscotti said the events draw between 150 and 200 community members, and provide children with an opportunity to have breakfast with the Easter Bunny and Santa. These events, according to Biscotti, require a large amount of food to accommodate the numbers in attendance.

“We do a lot,” Biscotti said. “We purchase anywhere from 20 to 25 dozen bagels, cakes, cookies, juice, coffee, tea, etcetera.”

But Scannello and Glenn have lessened some of that burden by donating the bagels to Post 1772, according to Biscotti. The charitable gesture is just one of many ways the storeowners have been helping their communities.

Scannello and Glenn also have spread generosity throughout their community by offering a free bagel or cup of coffee to PTA organizers, students, churches and sports teams. When houses in Seaford burned down last December and February of this year, the bagel store didn't hesitate to reach out to the community with a helping hand and a bagel free of charge.

The Seaford shop has been serving the community for more than 30 years, often bringing U.S. veterans to tears after they received their donations. For veterans, as well as members of the community, the bagel store has remained a constant as inflation continues to rise.

“They come in here, and they can be very emotional, and they thank us for supporting the community,” Scannello said of veterans. “Or when PTAs come in, I stamp their business cards, inviting them to come back and get a free bagel. We are all so humbled and honored.”

During the plaque ceremony, Scannello thanked the veterans and gave them a round of applause for fighting for their country.

“We at Seaford Bagels are known by the community to be generous,” Scannello said. “These veterans, they sacrifice their lives for us. This is the least we could do for them.”

Sen. Rhoads also thanked Seaford Bagels for supporting the Seaford and Wantagh communities, as he presented the smiling shopkeepers with the plaque.

“I want to thank Post 1772 for everything you’ve done,” Rhoads said. “The Seaford success is about giving back to the community, not just about keeping things in the community. Seaford Bagels, John and Virginia, you understand that so well, and you do it willingly.”