Buffalo, N.Y. – The Communities of Giving Legacy Initiative (CGLI) announced its 2021 Pay it Forward Award recipients who were honored at the annual Pay It Forward Awards held virtually on Nov. 4, 2021. Since 2012, the awards have recognized personal and professional accomplishments and how those actions increase philanthropy in communities of color. Emphasis is placed on service to the community and educating the next generation, with a focus on showcasing community champions that reflect the multicultural and ethnic diversity of the CGLI mission.
The 2021 Pay It Forward honorees are:
- Terence Jenkins, Waterfront Elementary School
- Stan Martin, HOPE Buffalo
- Dinorah Santos, Father Belle Center
- Hispanic Women’s League
“The Communities of Giving Legacy Initiative is proud to honor this year’s recipients who are dedicated to cultivating positive change in the lives of youth of color in Western New York,” said Cindy Odom, Chief Community Impact Officer at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo. “The awardees demonstrate ongoing and inspiring efforts to pay it forward, aiming to create a legacy within communities of color, and for communities of color, to make a positive impact in our region.”
In addition to the four Pay It Forward Award recipients, Dr. Danis J. Gehl received the CGLI Founding Member Award for her unwavering commitment to the CGLI since its inception in 2009. Her insightful leadership over the past 12 years has deepened the impact of the CGLI in our community.
The CGLI Council also announced a new award for 2022, named after the late Justice Hugh B. Scott, who was a founding member of the CGLI. The award will recognize a young person of color who exemplifies Justice Scott’s commitment to creating positive change through community service, civic engagement or volunteerism.
Additionally, the Emerging Philanthropists of Color initiative, a unique giving circle of the CGLI, awarded two grants of $2,500 to organizations whose work has a positive impact on youth of color in Western New York. The first grant was awarded to the Create a Healthier Niagara Falls Collaborative to support the “Full Circle: Healing Trauma through the Arts” program. And the second grant was awarded to the King Urban Life Center to support the S.T.E.A.M. Team, an after-school academic and technology success program.
You can learn more about The CGLI and its initiatives at www.theCGLI.org.
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About the Communities of Giving Legacy Initiative
The Communities of Giving Legacy Initiative® (CGLI), a fund of the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, exists to cultivate positive change in the lives of trailblazing youth of color living within Western New York. The CGLI works toward this mission through endowment building, engaging strategic partners, and intentional community connections. For additional information about the CGLI, please visit www.theCGLI.org.
About the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo
For more than a century, the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo has enhanced and encouraged long-term philanthropy in the Western New York community. A 501 (c)(3) organization, the Community Foundation’s mission is: Connecting people, ideas and resources to improve lives in Western New York. Established in 1919, the Community Foundation has made the most of the generosity of individuals, families, foundations and organizations who entrust charitable assets to the Community Foundation’s care. Learn more at cfgb.org.