Local Community Service
service opportunities
service internships

Canisius for Buffalo Program – Local Community Service

Our Canisius for Buffalo Program is local community service outreach to people in need in the City of Buffalo. We have strong relationships with our local community partners and it is direct community service. There are a variety of placements to match your individual needs and interests.

Campus Ministry’s Community Service Interns serve as student liaisons between a particular community partner agency in our Canisius for Buffalo Program and the Canisius College community. A Community Service Intern assists members of the College community live up to the Jesuit philosophy of becoming “women and men with and for others.”

Direct community service enhances and enriches the Canisius educational experience; it allows us to see the world and ourselves with new eyes and insight,  it also helps students develop valuable relationship, career, leadership, and social skills.

Community service placements may be made for you as an individual. It is also popular for student clubs and organizations to arrange for community service as a group.

The following is a list of our community partners including a list of where our community service interns are serving for the 2011-2012 academic year.  The time and availability of options for you are not always limited to the time when the intern is serving.


Canisius College Chapter of Habitat for Humanity
Canisius Community Days
Canisius Meals on Wheels
 

2011-2012 Service Interns

Service Intern
Volunteer Site
Times and Contact Information to Sign-up
Meet at Canisius –Transportation is provided

The Burrito Project is a street ministry to Buffalo’s homeless and poor in Downtown Buffalo. It provides fresh home-made burritos to Buffalo’s poor and homeless population in downtown Buffalo.

The 4th Tuesday of each month.

For more information, please view the
Burrito Project webpage.

To sign-up and for more information contact Ashley Stewart.


Katie Little

ENERGY After School Program

ENERGY is an after school program for kids in grades 2-6 living on the West side of Buffalo.  The program, based out of the Westminster Presbyterian Church, focuses on building community between mentors and students while providing a welcoming atmosphere that makes learning fun.  Students and tutors share a meal before teaching begins; the kids refocus after a long day at school as everyone comes together in a family-like atmosphere.  The ENERGY after school program is a place where students can learn to express themselves and be comfortable knowing that they are accepted, cared for and encouraged to grow by the tutors and mentors they come to trust and look up to.

Contact Katie Little with any questions at little2@canisius.edu

The program meets on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 4:30-6:30.

Transportation is provided.

To sign-up and for more information contact Katie Little.


The Lutheran Church home is a home to many amazing elderly people. The goal of the home is to provide the best care, activities, and positive relationships for its residents. If you are interested in meeting new people and making a difference in their life, come help put on activities or spend time with the residents. Some of the community activities include: RSVP Blankets for Children in the hospital, Bingo, Bowling, Games, and Movies

For more information contact Jennifer Queeno at queenoj@canisius.edu or 716-491-7446

Wednesdays: 10am-noon
Thursdays: 1pm-2:15pm
Fridays: 10am-1pm

Note: Arrangements may be made for individuals or groups at other times upon request including weekends.

For more information contact Jennifer Queeno at queenoj@canisius.edu or 716-491-7446


Abigail Fronchowiak

St. Monica's is a special middle school founded by Jesuits and provides motivated, low income students from the City of Buffalo.  The all-girls school provides individualized attention enabling academic success in high school and college. 

We will be working in the classroom during the school day, and with the after-school program providing specific daily programs as well as tutoring each afternoon. The programs vary each day and include a review class for the Catholic High School Entrance Exam, a drama and creative writing program, a weekly CLC, and an exercise and dance program.

For more information contact Abby Fronckowiak at fronckoa@canisius.edu


I will be at the school from Monday: 2-4, Wednesday and Friday 2-4:30. The after school program runs from 3:15-4:30, and the rest of the day will be spent helping teachers in the classroom. If you are interested in coming at any time throughout the day, please let me know. Any amount of time will be graciously accepted.

Transportation is provided.

To sign-up and for more information contact Abby Fronckowiak at fronckoa@canisius.edu


 

Laura Jakiel
(Picture pending)

St. Luke’s Mission of Mercy
325 Walden Avenue
(at the corner of Oberlin)

St. Luke’s Mission is a Roman Catholic Mission on Buffalo’s east side. St. Luke’s was founded Amy Betros and Norm Paolini and they serve as co directors. The have many ministry out-reach to the poor. Currently we work with them in their food ministry in the soup kitchen. 

This will start on or around September 16th. Contact Laura for details. 
 
To Sign-up or learn more about St. Luke’s contact with Laura click here (.doc). 
 

To read more about St. Luke’s click
here.

Thursdays & Fridays
3:20pm- 5:30pm we are back on campus by about 5:30pm.

We meet in the 2nd floor lounge of Old Main.

Transportation is provided.

To Sign-up or learn more about St. Luke’s contact Laura click here (.doc).


We help prepare and serve a meal to guests in the dining room. Participation includes food preparation, putting away donations of food in the pantry, and serving a meal. Participants clean up after the meal and prepare for the next day. We are back at Canisius by about 5:50 in time for your 6:00 pm class, band practice or choral. You are able to eat a meal while at the kitchen so you do not go to class or work hungry.

Wednesdays
2:30-5:50 pm
We to return campus by 5:50 pm.

Sign up in the service book in Campus Ministry!

Transportation provided

To sign-up and for more information contact Ashley Stewart.

Tara Cicatello
(Picture Pending) 
and
Julie Guerra
(Picture Pending)
VIVE La Casa
50 Wyoming Street
(about 10 minutes from Canisius)

VIVE is an interfaith organization which serves world refugees seeking asylum both in United States and Canada. VIVE and is a shelter with 108 beds. The refugees are provided with food, shelter, clothing, healthcare, and legal services as they await their appointment to enter Canada or their USA asylum hearing.

Tara Cicatello’s internship at VIVE is focused on working with children, teens and young adults. There are as many as 40 children from around the world at VIVE at a time. Time is spent with them in the play room doing activities and having conversations. The children are very accepting and welcoming and just love the interaction with our students. Options for students include Community Days (school wide service days), trips to VIVE (cleaning, preparing meals to tutoring), VIVE trips to Canisius (help host residents at Canisius athletic or cultural events). Individual Service or student group placements are always available at times that are convenient to you.

Julie Guerra’s internship and concentration is primarily working with adults with language and conversational English. The conversation will include a life experience and faith sharing component.   Julie is also working with a refugee who is a senior in high school and needs assistance with physics  Julie is at Vive each Tuesday and Thursday from 6-8:30pm and may be contacted at guerra@canisius.edu or 207-0275.

Tara Cicatello

Monday, Wednesday & Friday
3:30 - 5:30 p.m.

Transportation provided

Contact Tara for additional events for individuals or student groups.
cicatelt@canisius.edu
or 860-3566


To sign-up and for more information contact Julie Guerra at guerra2@canisius.edu
207-0275


Tuesdays and Thursdays
6-8:30 pm  

Transportation provided

For more information about local community service or the service internship program with Campus Ministry, please contact Joe Van Volkenburg at vanvolkj@canisius.edu or 888-2875.