The Communities of Giving Legacy Initiative® (CGLI), a fund of the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, recognizes the importance of endowment-building as a sustainable means of inspiring philanthropy for and within communities of color. CGLI Council Members all share a desire to “pay it forward” in honor of those who helped them succeed by creating a legacy of success that will encourage collective giving to support positive change in the lives of youth of color living in low-income communities.
Mission
The mission of the CGLI is to cultivate positive change in the lives of trailblazing youth of color living within Western New York. CGLI accomplishes this mission via endowment building, engaging strategic partners and intentional community connections.
Goals
1. Provide an endowed vehicle for collaborative grantmaking;
2. Inspire philanthropy within and for communities of color in Western New York;
3. Cultivate the next generation of philanthropists of color; and
4. Create positive change in the lives of trailblazing youth of color.
We are grateful for the generosity of those individuals, families and organizations who support our endowment.
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation has generously supported the work of the Communities of Giving Legacy Initiative over the years. Currently, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation is providing support through its Catalyzing Community Giving Program.
Legacy Access Donors
• BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York (HealthNow Healthy Living Fund)
• Charles Balbach
• Ruth Matthews
Close Up Washington, D.C.
Success Looks Like Me
GM Tonawanda Engine Plant
Leadership
Council Officers
Chairperson: Tracy P. Johnson, Ph.D.
Vice Chairperson: Owen Herne
Secretary: Ruth Bryant
Treasurer: Danis J. Gehl, Ph.D.
Council Members
Donald K. Boswell*
Tracy Cardwell
Tracey Cleveland
Bonita “Bonnie” R. Durand, Ph.D.
Leah M. Halton-Pope
Kawanza A. Humphrey
Oswaldo Mestre Jr.
Derrick Parson
Alphonso O’Neil-White, Esq.*
Jennifer J. Parker, J.D.*
Lou Santiago*
Hon. Hugh Scott
Tanya Staples
Francisco Vasquez, Ph.D.
*Honorary council
The Young Philanthropists - Success Looks Like Me (SLLM)
“If my mind can conceive it and my heart can believe it, I can achieve it…So I’m here to tell you what you can do.”
– Ruben Santiago-Hudson
Success Looks Like Me® Launch 2012.
In March 2016, The Communities of Giving Legacy Initiative (CGLI) launched The Young Philanthropists (TYPs) for high school students. TYPs participate in a program designed to spark their curiosity about grantmaking, community impact and philanthropy. After hearing from community leaders and philanthropists in the community, TYPs have the opportunity to award two $1,500 grants to worthwhile community organizations.
Below are some videos from our Success Looks Like Me® Role Model Project over the years. Click to watch them and to learn more about the good we do together.
Emerging Philanthropists of Color
Emerging Philanthropists of Color Meeting
The Emerging Philanthropists of Color (EPC) initiative is a unique giving circle of the Communities of Giving Legacy Initiative (CGLI). It offers access to people, places and experiences for entrepreneurial individuals of color who are enthusiastic about collective giving. As a result, joining EPC is a life-changing experience.
Benefits
An EPC membership provides members with the rare opportunity of being both mentor and protégé. Members have special access to civic leaders and philanthropists of color on the CGLI Council for mentoring, networking and inspiration. In addition, members have numerous opportunities to share their experiences with the youth who participate in CGLI activities.
Quarterly Networking
Social gatherings with people of color
Opportunity to “Pay it Forward” to the next generation
Participation in the Community Foundation’s 21st Century Fund
Collective giving (mini grants)
Personal and professional development
EPC Membership
Membership is $300 per year. That fee is divided up and $100 goes towards the CGLI Endowment Fund and the remaining $200 is pooled with your colleagues’ funds to create a giving circle. Click here for membership information.
Esther Annan
Daytuan Antonetti
Felicia Beard
Landrum Beard
Carson Cooper
Justine David
Nadia DelValle
Cynetra Ferguson
Collin Gehl
Karla General
Tricia Grannum
Daphne Ross
Justin Lewis
Robert Lowery
Kimberly Luangpakdy
Michelle Martin
Tommy McClam
Ekua Mends-Aidoo Brandi Moses
Kent Olden
Mark Overall
Naomi Pabon-Figueroa
Derrick Parson
Stephanie Peete
Tanice Pendergrass
Jumanne Pitts
Lesha Pryer
Josie Raphelleo
Daniel Robertson
Dinorah Santos
Kimberly Seay
Gellenia Smallwood
Jessica Smith
Glenn Spencer
Cord Stone
Alysia Welch-Chester
The Washington, D.C. Experience
Sponsored by the Communities of Giving Legacy, the Close Up Washington, D.C. Experience is an annual eight-month journey into civic education, culminating in a trip to Washington, D.C. in late June. It provides students with opportunities to engage with fellow high school peers from around the country and the world. They also learn about our government and democracy during the week-long civic engagement trip.
Participants in this program commit to eight months of social change. The highlight of the program is learning in the classroom. The classroom in this case is the foundation of democracy; our nation’s capital. Our youth will visit everything from the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial to the Smithsonian Museums — and much more, all while interacting with peers.
Experiences like this are possible thanks to the generous support from the community. If you would like to sponsor a student, please contact Landrum Beard at (716) 852-2857 ext. 231
