2014 ESL Jefferson Award Winner: Hon. John C. Ninfo II

After 20 years of service, John Ninfo retired as a U.S. Bankruptcy Judge in 2011. Since then he has been fortunate to be able to continue to follow his passions and serve the public by volunteering his time as an educator for The Credit Abuse Resistance Education Program (CARE), Wild Wings, Inc., a Raptor Sanctuary, and the Friends of Ganondagan; to further the arts in Rochester, as the House Manager for RAPA, the Rochester Association of Performing Arts, which now operates the Kodak Center for the Performing Arts, and The Rochester Lyric Opera, Rochester’s only professional opera company; and as a personal finance columnist for The Messenger Post Newspapers and the Italian American Community Newspaper.

John is the Founder of CARE, which makes bankruptcy professionals available in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico to educate thousands of high school and college students annually about personal finances. John started in the schools in 1997 and does over 60 presentations annually.

As an outreach educator at Wild Wings, John developed and financially underwrites an enrichment Initiative to bring its amazing birds of prey to at risk, underprivileged Rochester City and Charter School Elementary Students, who might not otherwise ever learn about or see them.

In addition to being a Trial Guide at Ganondagan, a New York Historic Site and National Landmark, John is the Chairman of the Building Committee for a new Art and Culture Center, the fulfillment of a 30 year dream, which will make the site even more of an international tourist destination.

Credit Abuse Resistance Education (CARE) program
Gonondagan
Wild Wings Birds of Prey Sanctuary
RAPA Theatre
Rochester Lyric Opera