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community service

Mt. St. Mary’s staff members thank SUNY Niagara Class of 2020 and Tops Friendly Markets.

SUNY Niagara Class of 2020 “chips” in to sweeten the day of local heroes

By News Archive

April 29, 2020

Students at SUNY Niagara are still adjusting to a new normal during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Virtual learning has replaced in-person instruction and plans for major milestones like commencement are being postponed in order to keep the community safe and healthy.  The typical celebratory feeling surrounding the end of the college semester has a different vibe this year, but SUNY Niagara’s Class of 2020 is not letting this pandemic dampen their spirits.  Graduates are finding new ways to come together and share the joy with others through social media posts, virtual concerts, live cooking demonstrations, and most recently by way of a sweet offering to healthcare heroes, volunteers, and first responders in the area.

In an effort coordinated by SUNY Niagara’s class of 2020, thousands of custom cookies are being made and packaged through a partnership with Tops Friendly Markets.  The cookies will be distributed to local hospitals, nursing homes, firehouses, EMT services, the Niagara County Health Department, and police stations in Niagara County as a small gesture of gratitude.  Tayllor Clark, Student Senate President and member of SUNY Niagara’s Class of 2020 expressed her appreciation for those working to keep the community safe and healthy, “It is important for our students to honor their efforts because, without these individuals, there would be countless more people suffering from this illness. These front line individuals are important to our life in society every day, but even more so today.”

Some of these cookies will be presented to former students and SUNY Niagara alumni, bringing the goodwill full circle.  “SUNY Niagara has trained many healthcare professionals working in the region to combat COVID-19, including Mount St. Mary’s Hospital and Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center.  Our graduates are using skills learned through classroom, lab, and clinical experiences to make a difference in our community daily, but the impact of their efforts is especially important now,” says Dr. Diane Pytlik-Flammia, Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs for Nursing and Allied Health.

SUNY Niagara’s contribution of cookies is just one of many efforts to support healthcare workers by colleges in the State University of New York (SUNY) system.  This movement, #SUNYTOGETHER led by Chancellor Kristina M. Johnson is also raising funds for personal protective equipment and medical research to assist with the COVID-19 crisis. In addition to the encouragement received from SUNY, SUNY Niagara is also relying on local leaders for guidance through this pandemic.  “Niagara County has been very supportive in providing leadership during this time.  We are thankful to the Niagara County Health Department for providing assistance in identifying essential workers and the Niagara County Sheriff’s deputies who are going above and beyond the call of duty to distribute cookies as a token of our appreciation,” says SUNY Niagara President William J. Murabito.

“I think it is fantastic that the SUNY Niagara graduates are making the most of a difficult situation and thinking of the workers on the front line of this pandemic.  As an SUNY Niagara alum, I wish them well as they move onto a new stage in their life,” says Acting Sheriff Michael J. Filicetti.

“Tops philosophy is Neighbors Helping Neighbors so we were honored and excited when we learned of the opportunity to partner with SUNY Niagara to provide the heroes of our community with a special treat and token of our appreciation for their service,” said Karri Zwirlein, director of the bakery, deli & prepared foods for Tops Friendly Markets.

Over 18,000 cookies will be distributed to these essential employees over the course of the next couple of days.  This extra boost of sugar and positive vibes is one small way to keep energy and spirits up for what may be the long road ahead.


Media Contact Information

Sara Harvey
Assistant Director of Public Relations and Event Management
Phone: 716-614-6220
Email: saharvey@niagaracc.suny.edu

Students from SUNY Niagara’s Future Leaders

SUNY Niagara Future Leaders engage in community service

By News Archive

November 19, 2019

As part of the Liberty Partnerships Future Leaders program at SUNY Niagara, students from Lockport High School and North Park Junior High School will be focusing their community service efforts on environmental improvements this year.  The high school students kicked off the yearlong project on October 21 with a community clean up.  Liberty Partnerships Students identified the overall need as well as a few key areas that would benefit from their efforts.  In addition to picking up litter, the project has prompted them to spread awareness about recycling and empower others to put garbage in its place.

As part of this project, students researched some alarming statistics:

  • Paper products make up 22% of the liter that is currently in the world
  • More than 250 million tons of trash is produced each year
  • An estimated 1.4 billion pounds of litter winds up in the oceans each year
  • Over 100,000 marine animals die every year from plastic entanglement and ingestion
  • New York produces about 14 million tons of trash a week
  • On average a New Yorker throws away about 25 pounds of trash a week

North Park Jr. High School students teamed up with Niagara Region Park Interpretive Program.  The Niagara Park Program identified the need for more bat boxes throughout the region.  A guest speaker attended the Liberty after school program on November 7 to introduce the students to the benefits of bats, facts surrounding the declining bat population, and what students can do to help.  Many residents do not realize that increasing the bat population will reduce the mosquito population and promote plant pollination.  Students will assemble bat boxes of their own to be installed at specific locations in Niagara County.

Future Leaders Liberty Partnerships Program at SUNY Niagara is sponsored by a New York State Department of Education Grant and currently serves over 300 students throughout Western New York.  The program supports youth throughout Niagara County with college and career pathway planning.  Liberty Partnerships assists students with life and social skills, mentoring, leadership, service learning, community service, wellness, and social/emotional development.

For more information on how your child can be a participant in the SUNY Niagara Future Leaders Liberty Partnerships Program, contact Jamie Reid jreid@niagaracc.suny.edu or 716-614-6891