Support Rufino Marin's Fight Against Cancer

Our dear friend and colleague Rufino Marin has just been diagnosed with cancer of the liver and colon. He entered emergency surgery last week to start his long process of recovery, and will need help covering immediate and ongoing medical expenses (which will undoubtedly be immense as he is uninsured like most hospitality workers in NYC) and living expenses like rent, food, and other care he may need during this time. Like most gig workers, living paycheck to paycheck is the norm, especially in a city like NYC. Given that reality in addition to his inability to work at the time, he will need all the support we can generate!

Rufino is a well loved server at Stone Park Cafe on 5th Avenue in Park Slope, Brooklyn. He started working at Stone Park in June of 2020, right as New York was starting to test the hospitality waters post the initial Covid wave that rocked New Yorkers and endangered many essential workers. Before working at Stone Park Cafe, he worked at Blue Ribbon in the same neighborhood for almost 13 years. He is a beloved member of this neighborhood and a cherished team member of Stone Park Cafe.

Rufino is the kind of person who will lend a hand with anything that needs doing. He doesn't complain or begrudge the job at hand- he genuinely cares about his job, and greets guests and coworkers alike with a hug and smile. He also has one of the most infectious laughs ever!

He has a loving family close by in Connecticut, but mostly back in Puebla, Mexico where he is originally from.

We love Rufino, and want to do all we can to ease this time for him. It would mean the world if you would consider contributing to his recovery and medical care.