Jacob Rivera loved Buffalo Wild Wings – so much so, that when the new location opened in Marlboro, he and his older brother Max attended the grand opening.
Buffalo Wild Wings returned the love on April 24, supplying about 50 students from the Calvary Christian School in Old Bridge with lunch to thank them for their volunteer efforts in supporting Jacob, who passed away in a single-vehicle motor vehicle accident on Nov. 18 on the southbound side of Route 18 near James Avenue in Old Bridge.
“[The] focus is thanking and loving on the students at Calvary Christian School with food and encouragement so that their thoughtfulness has not gone unnoticed. I am so impressed with not just their hard work but they too have donated to the scholarship fund – from $20 to $2,000 from a 17-year-old boy who gave anonymously. One high school freshman asked for his birthday that in lieu of birthday gifts that a donation be made to the fund which brought in $600. That’s just a few examples of these students that are honoring Jacob,” his mother Brenda Rivera said.
The 18-year-old was a student at Calvary Christian, though he lived in Marlboro, and was also an employee of ShopRite for two years, so his friends have been donating their time bagging groceries at different ShopRites in the area, collecting donations along the way.
Since December, almost $28,000 has been raised to support a scholarship for students wanting to attend private school, Brenda Rivera said.
The most recent bagging opportunity was April 21 in North Brunswick, with additional events planned for May 5 in Woodbridge and Edison.
Jacob’s family – his mother, his father Rafael, his older brothers Lucas and Max, and his sister Joelle, who is currently a senior at Calvary Christian – usually attend the events when they can.
“He was youngest boy. He was the tall one, the one everyone depended on,” his mother Brenda said. “It’s been healing for me. A lot of healing. Just a way for us to add value for us as a family. For people to roll up their sleeves and help, it’s a blessing for our hearts.”
Brenda Rivera said she is grateful for the support from ShopRite, Buffalo Wild Wings and everyone who has supported her son.
“They treated him like family and they continue to do that,” she said.
“It was shocking for all us,” she said of the pre-Thanksgiving Day crash, noting their oldest son had just come home from California for the holiday. “It was a joyful time when this tragedy hit.”
For more information, visit www.youcaring.com/calvarychristianschool-1037199
Contact Jennifer Amato at [email protected].