ORLANDO, Fla. — Tony Danza is being a good neighbor.

“If we could all just try to be a good neighbor, what a diference that would make,” says the star of such TV sitcoms as “Who’s the Boss?” and “Taxi.”

Danza will perform his “Standards & Stories” show at the Clermont Performing Arts Center this weekend to raise awareness for the Good Neighbor Program. That’s the initiative founded by Dianne and John Garvis back in 1999 to lend a hand to those in need by collecting blankets, food, toys and more. The group has raised funds for disaster victims, partnered with Habitat for Humanity and supported charitable efforts by the Salvation Army.

At Danza’s show, nonperishable food items will be collected at the door.

The mission of the Good Neighbor Program is “to serve God and our community through compassionate action — to meet needs, heal hearts, and show love in practical ways.”

Danza is doing something similar in his hometown of New York City, where he focuses on youth through his Stars of Tomorrow Project, which guides young people who need some extra care.

The project teaches them about performing — “When you teach a kid how to act, you teach a kid how to act,” Danza says — but it’s much more than that. There’s a wellness component and lessons in practical skills.

“We rent a kitchen off 57th Street and teach them how to cook,” Danza said. “They don’t know that stuff.”

Danza learned to cook by watching his dad, a Brooklyn garbageman with an early-morning shift.

“My father got home earlier than my mother so he cooked every night,” recalled Danza, 74. It was a part of his early years, which he remembers as idyllic.

“I had the greatest childhood,” he said. “I got in a million fights because that’s what we did back then. People were poor — but not desperate.”

He worries about the growing divide between the haves and have-nots that’s leading to increased desperation. He uses his hometown as an example.

“We had a survey in New York City that said 50% of everybody here can’t make ends meet,” he said. “How do you have a safe and happy city if 50% of the people are getting desperate? I’m worried about that.”

He’s also worried that economic hardship affects the civility of modern life.

“If I’m broke and having trouble paying my bills, it’s harder to be considerate of other people,” he said. Yet he believes we must make the effort to practice empathy for the greater good: “If you think it’s all about you, it’s really hard to resolve conflicts or accomplish anything.”

While his appearance in Clermont is designed to ultimately help those outside the theater, Danza hopes the show also helps those in the audience forget the troubles of the world for a bit.

“I have a four-piece band that blows everyone away,” he said. “I’m getting laughs, I’ve been playing the ukulele pretty well.”

He’s been enjoying touring with “Standards & Stories” around the country, though he can’t wait to take a break from the road and visit a new granddaughter.

“It’s like those TV variety shows of days gone by, where you had the host and all the different acts,” he said. “In this, I’m the host and all the different acts.”

He’s full of gratitude, both to the fans who keep showing up, and to his acting colleagues who gave him his start in showbiz.

Danza was a professional boxer when he was cast in “Taxi” in 1978. The original ensemble cast of comedy vets Judd Hirsch, Danny DeVito, Marilu Henner, Christopher Lloyd, Jeff Conaway and Andy Kaufman showed “no resentment” when an acting newbie was added to their ranks.

“They welcomed me with open arms,” he said. “I think if there had been resentment I might have folded.”

He’s still in touch with cast mates: “Marilu is the straw that stirs the drink,” he said. “She makes sure we’re always doing something.”

And he has a special fondness for DeVito, who was there for him when his father died.

“I thank God for Danny,” he said. “He was someone to lean on.”

He thinks learning about performing, as the young people in his Stars of Tomorrow Project do, can provide a blueprint for living.

“Acting teaches you how to be bigger than yourself. To be a really fine actor, you have to really listen,” he said. “These are things that help you in life.”

He knows that his long career has influenced his personal philosophy, saying “I’m just trying to be a nice person.”

And a good neighbor.

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‘TONY DANZA: STANDARDS & STORIES’

Where: Clermont Performing Arts Center, 3700 S. Highway 27 in Clermont

When: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 22

Cost: $31.50-$251.50

Info: gnp-fl.org/events

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