Vico Of Farmingdale Raises $515 For The Chloe Belle Foundation, A Local Cancer Charity

FARMINGDALE, NY — Vico: Costiera Amalfitana, an Italian restaurant in Farmingdale, raised $515 for The Chloe Belle Foundation, a Northport-based cancer charity.

Vico, located at 313 Main Street, donated $5 of every takeout pizza pie sold, starting at $14.95, or every family meal deal sold at $34.95, throughout the month of December. The three-item family meal deals feed four to five people and give customers choices on salads, pastas and entrees.

The Chloe Belle Foundation was created in honor of Chloe Belle Lindberg, a Northport resident who was only 26 when she died of acute myeloid leukemia in January 2021. She fought the cancer for 13 months after she was diagnosed at age 25.

Remi Lindberg, president of The Chloe Belle Foundation and Chloe's big sister, said the charity has been focusing on giving large financial donations to its recipients — cancer patients with a focus on young adults. The donation from the Vico fundraiser will support this effort, Lindberg said.

"This is often really helpful," Lindberg told Patch. "Not only do they have the opportunity to purchase whatever treat they want that will make them happy but they also have free rein to use it however they please. Many times it goes to bills that need to be paid, which takes a large burden off them. Other times it goes to a vacation or material item they have been wanting but couldn't afford."

Click here to read a Q&A with The Chloe Belle Foundation.

Lindberg said she felt "elated" when she heard Vico raised $515 through its December fundraiser.

"This is the second time Vico has supported us," she said. "Their first fundraiser for us was absolutely amazing, and the donation aided us in helping our TCBF recipients even more. That is something that we could never properly express enough gratitude for."

Perry Fortuna, who owns Vico with his father, Joe, told The Chloe Belle Foundation he wanted to support the nonprofit for a second straight year.

"When Perry told us he was interested in doing it a second time, I was so appreciative," Lindberg said. "The amount of food and the quality of food that the customers get for the prices —combined with the insanely generous percentage that goes back to us — proves that everyone at Vico is so altruistic and truly is doing it because they believe in our mission and want to support it. We are so thankful for any amount that is raised for us, but I was really so overjoyed, because $515 can take us so far in helping and bringing joy."

Joe Fortuna said it is "great" to help a smaller nonprofit like The Chloe Belle Foundation.

"With the smaller charities, you see how it really directly affects the people they’re helping," Fortuna said. "Because they’re smaller, it’s more personal. It’s amazing, really, that we can be part of helping children and families. We always like to do stuff for the community. We’re very community-oriented."

Direct donations could be made to The Chloe Belle Foundation here. The charity's Instagram page is @TheChloeBelleFoundation.

Fortuna also co-owns pub and live music venue The Nutty Irishman and 317 Main Street, a gastropub with a menu meticulously crafted by award-winning chef Eric LeVine.

Fortuna, the father of five children, said raising funds for a cancer charity that helps children keeps things in perspective.

"I have five kids. They’re all healthy. You always thank God," he said. "That’s the most important thing — that your family is healthy, and especially your children. To help families or to help these children, it touches you, because I always feel like I’m blessed because we have healthy children, and we want to help others who don’t. It’s always also about giving back. It’s great that we can give back."

Chloe's fierce battle with cancer inspired Remi and the rest of the Lindberg family to create The Chloe Belle Foundation in her memory. The charity has dedicated itself to bringing joy to children and young adults who are fighting cancer.

"The fact that now they’re doing this in honor of their beloved one; it’s more personal, because they were personally affected," Fortuna said. "They went through the pain. They went through the sorrow. They understand. Having that understanding and that knowledge is great, because they know what the other person is going through. They know what would make them happy, whether it’s just for the brief experience, through a toy or support, or not having the necessary equipment to survive, to be happy. It’s important to support the local charities. As I said, the person who is organizing, who started it, is directly affected. They have that knowledge and experience that we don’t have."

In pursuit of this mission, the nonprofit has organized toy drives where the family has dropped off hundreds of toys to local hospitals; fundraisers for child life teams and pet therapy at hospitals; and more. The charity has made donations to cancer research, though its focus lies in bringing smiles to individuals fighting cancer.

Fortuna said The Chloe Belle Foundation's "direct connection" to people who are actively fighting cancer makes him feel good about his restaurant's donation.

"You need the research and everything like that, but these families are grieving," he said. "To bring a smile to a child who is suffering and going through everything that they’re going through, there’s no better joy than that."

Lindberg shared a message with Vico and its customers.

"Like always, words cannot express how much your support means to us," she said. "Vico, you are absolutely marvelous. Thank you for choosing us as a recipient of this amazing fundraiser not only once but twice. To both Vico and their amazing customers: Just know there are a lot of deserving people whose lives you have helped or have brought joy and comfort to in some way. It is your donation that does that. Without the donation, we wouldn't be able to do anything. It is all because of you."