Staten Island deli owner goes viral for rewarding cash, snacks to kids with good grades
STANTON ISLAND, N.Y. — When Wail Alselwi needed inspiration during one of the darkest periods of his life, his brother gave him a reason to keep going. That motivation would eventually evolve into a program that has incentivized academic excellence for thousands of local children and drawn attention from across North America.
Alselwi, who co-owns Zack's Finest Deli & Grocery and is known around the neighborhood as "Island Ock," launched the "Grades for Grabs" initiative three years ago as a simple wager with a young customer named Zameir Davis.
"It started with one report card, one kid and one milkshake," Alselwi recalled during a recent television appearance. "I had a bet with a kid named Zameir Davis that if he had good grades, he can get to grab whatever he wanted."
The bet paid off, and word spread quickly. Today, students throughout Staten Island and beyond arrive at the deli with their report cards, eligible to walk out with up to $100 in cash, along with complimentary snacks and school supplies.
"Now it's a big movement," Alselwi said. "Now thousands of kids come into Zack's Finest Deli to show me their report card."
The program has become a viral sensation, with social media videos showcasing young people's academic achievements and featuring heartwarming conversations with students and their parents about what the initiative means to them. Some clips have accumulated millions of views, drawing support from across the country.
That widespread enthusiasm has translated into financial backing as well. A GoFundMe campaign established to sustain and expand "Grades for Grabs" has collected more than $575,000, approaching its $650,000 goal.
The program has attracted families from well beyond New York. According to Alselwi, parents are bringing children from different states and even from Canada to participate.
"Their parents want them to participate in this program," he said. "They believe in it. They're bringing them from different states. Even Canada."
Looking ahead, Alselwi envisions the initiative reaching far beyond Staten Island.
"Man, I want to take the program to the next level," he said. "Like, I want to take it into every city in the United States, not just to keep it here in New York."
The journey from that first milkshake bet to a cross-border phenomenon traces back to a difficult period in Alselwi's own life. He has spoken publicly about experiencing profound discouragement before his brother's encouragement helped him find renewed purpose.
"Because at a time in my life, I was really down," Alselwi said. "And my brother motivated me to get back up."
That motivation now extends to a new generation of students, many of whom might otherwise have little incentive to excel academically.
The deli continues operating at its long-standing location, but it has become something more than a neighborhood grocery store. For the children who line up with their report cards, Zack's Finest Deli has transformed into a destination where hard work in the classroom translates directly into tangible rewards at the register.