Some Staten Islanders offering a more welcoming vision of NYC to migrants

As scenes of angry protesters, expletive-filled signs and police barricades continue to dominate migrant-related news from Staten Island, some residents are trying to show the thousands of migrants who’ve crossed the borough’s shores over the past year another side of it.

That includes trying to make the newcomers feel welcome — or at least fed — by sharing meals, making calls, buttering rolls and giving out pizza, according to individuals and mutual aid groups who have sprung into action to help their new neighbors.

“If you see starving people and you could do something, that’s one thing, whether or not they should be here or what their immigrant status is,” said Sebastian “Sam” Bongiovanni, the owner of Verde’s Pizza and Pasta House in Travis.

The restaurant got a lot of heat from residents last fall for delivering free pies to hungry migrants at nearby shelters. Although the backlash – and the handouts – affected Bongiovanni’s bottom line, he said it ultimately helped the community get a handle on the issue.

“Nobody knew what was happening. There was no system in place. And that’s what Verde’s Pizza and Pasta shouted out,” he said. “This community took control of the situation, and this community fixed it.”

While Bongiovanni said things in Travis are more settled now, erupting protests in other neighborhoods have sparked new waves of urgency to dispel myths and foster positive interactions between Staten Island residents and the new migrants.

On Wednesday night, the Staten Island Immigrants Council hosted a dinner at Yeshiva Sanz in Port Richmond called “Breaking Bread, Building Bonds” as an opportunity for community members and newcomers to share a meal together.

Nearly 100 people attended the event, which Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Staten Island representative, Tom Scarangello, and members of the NYC Commission on Human Rights also attended. The…