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Dozens of Long Island pizzerias will donate $5 per pie on Feb. 25
Buying a pizza on Long Island will soon mean doing more than dinner or a snack.
On Feb. 25, dozens of pizzerias across the Island will take part in “Pizza Against Drunk Driving,” a fundraiser organized by LI Pizza Strong to support the family of Nassau P.O. Patricia Espinosa.
Espinosa, 42, was struck and killed by an alleged drunk driver in St. James early Saturday morning while on her way to work.
As part of the fundraiser, participating pizzerias will donate $5 from every pie sold, with 100% of proceeds going directly to Espinosa’s family.
“This isn’t just about pizza — it’s about standing together as a Long Island community,” LI Pizza Strong co-founder Alyssa Guidice told Greater Long Island. “Supporting this fundraiser is a way to honor her memory, support her family and send a clear message that our community stands against impaired driving.”
LI Pizza Strong was founded in 2023 to support victims and families impacted by the Farmingdale High School band bus crash and has since organized several large-scale community fundraisers.
In April 2024, the group raised nearly $200,000 for the family of NYPD Detective Jonathan Diller after he was fatally shot during a traffic stop in Far Rockaway.
Later that year, the group held another fundraiser following a crash that killed two West Babylon High School students.
Espinosa’s husband, Francisco Malaga — also a police officer — was on his way to work when he came upon the crash scene. The couple shared a 2-year-old daughter.
A partial list of participating pizzerias is expected to be released soon on LI Pizza Strong’s Instagram and Facebook feeds, with a full list anticipated this weekend. Greater Long Island will continue to share updates as they become available.
“It’s just so simple,” Guidice added. “Just buy a pizza. Who doesn’t love pizza?”
Top: Detroit pie from Donatina Neapolitan Pizza Café in Patchogue. (Credit: GLI/file)
