This year has been especially hard, here in WNY and around the world. It’s the holiday season, and we’re excited about giving back to the community that we love. We’re holding these nine local causes extra close to our hearts right now!
Hospice Buffalo
“The level of care and attentiveness they provided my Dad was unbelievable. The staff felt like part of the family. That level of compassion we hadn’t experienced from any other provider along my dad’s 4-year journey with brain cancer. It meant a lot. Hospice will always hold a special place in my heart.”
Chris Reilley
Girl Scouts of Western New York
“Girl Scouts is not just about building fires and tying knots—although those are great skills I’m glad I have. It’s also about leadership, collaboration, financial wellbeing, serving the community and more. The lessons I learned in Girl Scouts, especially while planning and executing my Gold Award (the Girl Scout equivalent of the Boy Scout Eagle Scout), are still a part of who I am today, almost a decade later.”
Taylor Flynn
Evergreen Health Services
“Evergreen Health Services cares for the Buffalo community in progressive, life-saving ways. Their transgender care, syringe exchange, care coordination and dozens of other programs touch the lives of Western New Yorkers that other healthcare programs have long ignored. I admire the approachability of the organization, which does a great job connecting with community members from all walks of life for care, fundraising and Pride Week.”
Taylor Flynn
Leadership Buffalo
“Many years before “corporate social responsibility” was an accepted norm in the board room, Leadership Buffalo was weaving WNY’s business leaders into the fabric of our community to serve the greater good. Revitalized under the leadership of Althea Luehrsen, LB has blossomed into the premier resource in WNY for the development of corporate leaders, grounded in service, who will be the leaders of tomorrow.”
Robert Klingensmith
WNY Headbands for Heroes
“WNY Headbands for Heroes is a nice way to help medical professionals during the pandemic from home!”
Dana Kochems
WNY Girls in Sports
“Sports have played an important role in my life since I could walk and have continued to help me grow and challenge myself as an adult. WNY Girls in Sports promotes fitness to girls through organized athletics. Skills like perseverance, responsibility and leadership were just a few of the things I learned throughout my athletic experiences. It’s important to me that the next generation of women have the opportunities to gain confidence while learning the importance of teamwork and communication.”
Jenna Hutzler
FeedMore WNY
“The Food Bank and Meals on Wheels combined to create FeedMore WNY. Their mission is ‘to put food on more tables. To provide companionship to more homebound neighbors. And to inspire brighter futures for those who wish to provide for themselves.’ This year has challenged the basic needs of many, and I’m grateful to this organization is providing for our most vulnerable neighbors.”
Jenna Hutzler
Let Them LOL
“Let Them LOL empowers individuals in the Buffalo community and in Sierra Leone experiencing unjust suffering by providing them with basic resources. They offer so many different opportunities for people in the WNY community to give, whether through volunteering or funds!”
Kelsie Engert
Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper
“I’m very passionate about the environment and I think that having a local organization like this is important. They offer a variety of services, such as improving water quality, habitat restoration, education, local cleanups and much more. Also, I have volunteered at Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper cleanups in the past, and they were very well organized.”
Mike Tona