Three Middle-School Students Donate 1,530 Protective Masks to Capital City

Trenton, N.J. – Mayor W. Reed Gusciora and Recreation and Natural Resources Director Maria Richardson today thanked Valentina Funari Ferri, 12, of Skillman, N.J., Luisa Buss, 13, of Princeton, N.J., and Olivia Trochu, 12, of Skillman for donating 1,530 protective masks to the City of Trenton.

Moved by the realization that families that rely on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits struggle with affording protective masks, Valentina, along with her friends Luisa and Olivia, set out to donate 1,000 masks to the capital city. “I stood with signs that said, ‘Mask Drive’ so people could stop,” said Valentina. “We surpassed our goal of 1,000, so we decided to increase the number of masks to 1,500, which we also surpassed by 30 masks.”

The donation includes multiple boxes of disposable masks as well as hundreds of others that were handmade in various colors. Mayor Gusciora and Director Richardson, along with Greater Trenton CEO George Sowa, thanked the girls at a ceremony in the Mayor’s Office and issued a signed certificate for their service to the community.

“As we continue to navigate this unprecedented crisis, it’s inspiring to see students like Valentina, Luisa and Olivia who are driven to help those in need.” said Mayor Gusciora. “We have a continued need for PPE not just for the front-line responders in our fire, EMS, and police departments, but also for our senior community, who still have difficulty accessing or affording masks.”

“We appreciate you taking the time to organize this effort and support the residents of Trenton,” said Director Richardson. “This donation will ensure that more Trentonians are prepared for the ongoing fight against COVID-19.”

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