Message from the President, October 2020

Over the past seven months, we have seen our community come together like never before. As we face both the new challenges of 2020 and those exacerbated by the pandemic, we are inspired by the generosity of our clients and the dedication of our community partners to work toward innovative solutions.

In September and October, we hosted five Community Impact Sessions to share updates on the WNY COVID-19 Community Response Fund and the collaborative work underway to address our four community goals. Each session featured leaders in our community discussing how their work continues to adjust to these ever-changing circumstances. You can watch the sessions here.

It is hard to believe that September 24 marked one year from our Centennial Celebration. We are honored to have been able to mark the occasion in such a meaningful way by awarding $1 million in honor of 12 amazing change makers in our community. We have checked in with some of them recently and are pleased to share their updates on our Facebook page and website.

Looking ahead to November, the Communities of Giving Legacy Initiative (CGLI) will honor four trailblazers at the annual Pay It Forward Awards on November 5. Please join us in recognizing Zandra Cunningham, Zandra Beauty; Tommy McClam & Daniel Robertson, Boys and Young Men of Color Initiative of the Racial Equity Roundtable; Renee Mapp, SUNY Buffalo; and Marilyn Young, Women Against Violence Everywhere. Register for this event here.

In this newsletter, we are proud to share the story of the Pinto Family. Together, they continuously strive to give back in meaningful ways to support the causes important to them and carry on the legacy of a loved one.

Thank you for your partnership during these challenging times as we remain committed to connecting people, ideas and resources to improve lives in Western New York.

Sincerely,

Clotilde Perez-Bode Dedecker