Forest Hills Chocolatier Unveils Elmhurst Hospital Rainbow Mural

Maya Kaufman
·1 min read

FOREST HILLS, QUEENS — The walls of Elmhurst Hospital grew a bit brighter Wednesday after the owners of a Forest Hills chocolate shop unveiled a rainbow of rainbow drawings to decorate the hospital lobby.

Aigner Chocolates co-owners Mark Libertini and Rachel Kellner collected the 300-plus drawings that comprise the rainbow in May, offering young artists a free chocolate bunny in exchange for a handmade rainbow art piece.

"This wonderful gesture has helped cheer us and give us hope as we continue to care for the community during the COVID-19 health crisis.” Elmhurst Hospital CEO Israel Rocha said.

Aigner Chocolates has donated about $10,000 worth of chocolate to seniors, front-line workers, local nonprofits, food banks and children in the neighborhood since the coronavirus pandemic hit New York City, according to Kellner.

“The truth is, giving back during this time was an easy decision," Kellner said. "We continue to envision how to not only be a chocolate shop, but also a source of healing for the community."

This article originally appeared on the Forest Hills Patch