A Grades for Grabs Program at a Staten Island Deli

Zack’s Finest Deli & Grocery is now well-known for being a place where students can celebrate their successes in studying.Wail Alselwi, who is the co-owner of Zack’s Finest Deli & Grocery and also called “Island Ock” on social media platforms, established the Grades for Grabs program as a way to motivate children to be serious about their studies.It all started in 2023 when Alselwi made an agreement with one student named Zameir Davis. He said that if the student improved his grades, he would give him a prize from the store.

How Report Cards Earn Rewards

Students may come to the deli with their report cards and get prizes for good grades. Those prizes may be cash, some treats from the store, and some other stuff from there.The program takes into account those students who are improving greatly, which means that it does not concentrate only on those kids who have the best grades.

It Started From One Student and Became Popular Very Fast

*With increasing attention being paid to Grades for Grabs, there have been many questions raised regarding how individuals can contribute to Alselwi’s ability to help more students.To that end, a GoFundMe crowdfunding campaign has been started to raise funds for the project. In the description of the fundraiser, it is mentioned that it will fund free snacks and cash rewards for students that improve their grades. 4According to reports and social media mentions of the story as of September 2026, the crowdfunding campaign exceeded $587,000. Recent estimates place the amount raised in excess of $500,000. *

Expansion of the Program

The program is now not restricted to the local area where only a handful of nearby students attend. As per recent reports, several people have visited the place coming from other states of America and even from Canada upon hearing about the program.Alselwi has also publicly discussed the possibility of extending the concept beyond Staten Island to benefit more students through the same kind of motivation.

School Supplies Included

In addition to report card rewards, the efforts have also extended further. In 2026, Alselwi sought help from his extensive social media following to collect school supplies for thousands of children ahead of the new school term.As per ABC News reports, the amount of donations increased considerably, with Alselwi getting dozens of boxes of supplies on certain days.

Community Effort Aimed at Motivation

Grades for Grabs has transformed the common place in the neighborhood into a platform where students can get recognized for their academic efforts. The program incorporates both monetary and tangible rewards along with public motivation for the students to celebrate success at school. The fast expansion and funds collected prove how a single commitment turned into a large-scale initiative.