Grand Island Neighbors Foundation

Neighbors Foundation of Grand Island, NY Inc. Webpage
2005 - 2006

P. O. Box 155, Grand Island, New York 14072

Click For Previous Neighbors Foundation News

Henry Kammerer E-mail or 773-1245
Linda Tufillaro E-mail or 773-9680

Mission: Provide emergency assistance, primarily food or financial help (utility bills), for Grand Island residents who find themselves in temporary need. This is accomplished through a strictly volunteer organization, utilizing churches and other organizations to collect and stock an immediate needs food pantry, and raising money through community wide fund drives and special donation arrangements for employees of key Island employers.

Events: A Holiday Season (Christmas) distribution to needy families on G.I. (large food basket, plus toys and gifts for children). This is coordinated with a collection of food and gifts from schools and other organizations, plus special fund raising in the same time frame. During the rest of the year, we help the needy as we hear from their neighbors, friends or from direct phone calls.

Help: The Foundation, for the past 25 years, has been a small nucleus of devoted workers. As we grow older, we greatly need to expand our circle of active helpers and Directors. New blood is needed!

Strengths: Our long experience with charitable helping of the Island's temporarily needy, has given us procedures, expertise and contacts to provide timely, efficient help. With careful attention to confidentiality, and appropriateness of aid, our volunteer staff has developed the trust and confidence of both needy clients and donating public.

Ideas: Coordinate and focus the natural tendency of many groups and organizations who want to do 'Good Works' at the Holiday Season, into an effective all-Island activity.

50 Families Receive Gifts From Neighbors Foundation
Donors Recognized - 2006
   December 28, 2006 . . .Click the following for:
   "‘Share Your Happiness’ Donations"
   "Donations of Gifts of Food & Toys"
The Neighbors Foundation of Grand Island, this week, distributed food and gift baskets to 50 Island families that have been in temporary need this holiday season. "Although we as Foundation members are proud and happy about what 'we' did, it is not the Foundation itself that made the distribution so successful," said Foundation President Henry G. Kammerer. "It was school children bringing in food cans, Scout groups bringing in toys and 'Shoe Boxes' filled with toiletries, Russer Foods, Tops, Java Shop and Bremmer Sugar Kake donating foods, the Knights of Columbus providing use of their hall, School Maintenance personnel bringing 4000 pounds of food to the Hall, over 30 DECA and Interact students from the high school sorting that food. It was hundreds of Island individuals, organizations and businesses making donations, or also bringing food, toys and other gifts; church and senior citizen groups providing clothing. In other words, it was a tremendous outpouring of support from all parts of this grand Island (and surrounding areas) which allowed the Neighbors Foundation to provide this help," Mr. Kammerer said this week. "On behalf of those who were helped, but cannot speak for themselves, we thank everyone on Grand Island for their support," he said.

Neighbors Foundation Distributes Food, Gift Baskets To 50 Island Families - 2006
   December 21, 2006 . . .The Neighbors Foundation of Grand Island, this week, distributed food and gift baskets to 50 Island families that have been in temporary need this holiday season. "Although we as Foundation members are proud and happy about what 'we' did, it is not the Foundation itself that made the distribution so successful," said Foundation President Henry G. Kammerer. "It was school children bringing in food cans, Scout groups bringing in toys and 'Shoe Boxes' filled with toiletries, Russer Foods, Tops, Java Shop and Bremmer Sugar Kake donating foods, the Knights of Columbus providing use of their hall, School Maintenance personnel bringing 4000 pounds of food to the Hall, over 30 DECA and Interact students from the high school sorting that food. It was hundreds of Island individuals, organizations and businesses making donations, or also bringing food, toys and other gifts; church and senior citizen groups providing clothing. In other words, it was a tremendous outpouring of support from all parts of this grand Island (and surrounding areas) which allowed the Neighbors Foundation to provide this help," Mr. Kammerer said this week. "On behalf of those who were helped, but cannot speak for themselves, we thank everyone on Grand Island for their support," he said.

Neighbors Foundation Prepares For Holiday Giving - December 2006

(Left) Thirty-eight DECA/Interact Members - (right) Alicia Barnaby, Corey McGowan, and Nick Argy.


(Left) Ian O'Rourke and Betsy Zhang; (right) Erica Barrett and Amber Meyers.

(Left) Hillary Figler, Lauren Fonte, and Andrea Nicoli

Cheryl Chamberlain photos - Click for a larger view.
   The Grand Island Neighbors Foundation was again assisted by the Grand Island Island High School DECA and Interact Clubs. The 38 students, some shown above, aided in the sorted various food items for needy families in the community on Tuesday, December 19, 2006. Neighbors Foundation President Hank Kammerer said he is always pleased to invite the students every year and appreciates all of the efforts that they and members of the Grand Island School District put forth. Also assisting in this major food drive from the school are the Grand Island Teacher’s Association (Toys), and GIHS Student Council (collection). All of the Island schools were involved in this worthwhile holiday effort. Cheryl Chamberlain (DECA Advisor) and Laura Briganti (Interact Advisor) would like to wish everyone in the community a wonderful holiday season.

Neighbors Foundation Helps The Less Fortunate On Grand Island - 2006
You Can Help, Too!
   During the holiday season, the Neighbors Foundation of Grand Island makes a special effort to help less fortunate families of Grand Island with large baskets of food and gifts for any children involved. This tradition has been carried on for 30 years, as the Foundation fulfills its mission of helping those in temporary need on Grand Island. According to Henry Kammerer, president, “In 2006, just as we thought economic conditions were improving, strikes and further plant closings have increased the call for our help. Although we cannot support anyone continuously, we stand ready and able to help with the emergency or temporary need that some of our neighbors have, especially at what is supposed to be a happy time of year.”
   The Foundation invites Island residents to "Share Your Happiness" by making a tax deductible donation to the Neighbors Foundation, mailing it to P.O. Box 155, Grand Island NY 14072. With an all-volunteer organization, the Foundation can assure Island residents that a maximum amount of their donation goes to help those in emergency need on Grand Island. The names of donors will be displayed in the Isledegrande.com web newspaper, and holiday editions of the Grand Island PennySaver and Island Dispatch and . Donors who wish to remain anonymous, can certainly request that.
   Anyone wishing to donate new, unused toys or similar gifts, and new, unused outerwear for youth to teens may bring them to the Town Recreation Dept. office at the Nike Base, 3278 Whitehaven Rd. (from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and before Dec. 14). As special project, local Boy Scouts have placed a ‘Christmas Wish List’ for the Foundation gift boxes, on message boards in Island stores. According to Henry Kammerer, “This list highlights things like Nerf Balls, lip balm, hairbrushes; items we don’t think about as gifts, but especially appreciated by our teen or pre-teen recipients”. For further information on these donations, residents may call Linda Tufillaro, Town Recreation Department Supervisor, at 773-9680.
   Many Island organizations join this effort. The Grand Island schools will have a canned food drive during December, with sorting of that food being done by the High School DECA Club. Other groups and businesses are also donating food. The Knights of Columbus are again donating the use of their hall for sorting and distribution of the large quantity of food donated to this project. In past years over 55 families have been helped.
   For further information, contact Henry Kammerer, President of the Neighbors Foundation, at 773-1245.

Christmas Comes To 50 Island Families Courtesy Of Neighbors Foundation - 2005
   Over 50 families were helped with food and gift baskets; students and others gave over 4000 lbs. of food, with other donated food, all sorted by the DECA and Interact Club from Grand Island High School. Other high school students from St. Joe’s & St. Mary’s sorted the toys and gifts. The efforts of a huge number of individuals and organizations gave a most successful Holiday distribution for the Neighbors Foundation of Grand Island. Connor Middle School students made and sold food at their International Night, the Ministerium directed their Thanksgiving Service collection to the Neighbors Foundation; these and many others raised over $10,000 for the Foundation. Wegmans Stores donated gift certificates (through the Middle School), John’s Pizza & Subs donated gift certificates, Zonta Club, Rotary and the Chamber of Commerce made major donations. Invitrogen, Russer Foods and Tops made contributions that helped fill the food baskets to help these less fortunate families. Members of the Knights of Columbus were particularly kind in allowing the use of their hall for two days to sort and deliver the baskets, while the Grand Island School District's maintenance staff moved the food there in a snow storm! Once again Grand Islanders showed the real community spirit that is here on Grand Island!
   Neighbors Foundation of Grand Island, NY Inc. thanks these people and organizations who donated to our ‘Share Your Happiness’ fund drive in the 2005 Holiday Season. Click "‘Share Your Happiness’"
   For the complete list of those who gave Gifts of Food & Toys, click "Gifts of Food & Toys"

Neighbors Foundation Helps The Less Fortunate On Grand Island - 2005
   During holiday season, the Neighbors Foundation of Grand Island makes a special effort to help less fortunate families of Grand Island with large baskets of food, plus gifts for all children involved. This tradition has been carried on for 30 years, as the Foundation fulfills its mission of helping those in temporary need on Grand Island. Many Island organizations join this effort. The Grand Island schools will have a canned food drive during December. Sorting of that food will be done by the High School DECA Club. Other groups and businesses are also donating food and members of the Knights of Columbus are donating the use of their hall for sorting and distribution of the large quantity of food donated to this project. In past years over 55 families have been helped.
   The Foundation invites Island residents to "Share Your Happiness" by making a tax deductible donation to the Neighbors Foundation and mailing it to P.O. Box 155, Grand Island NY 14072. With an all-volunteer organization, the Foundation can assure Island residents that a maximum amount of their donation goes to help those in emergency need on the Island. The names of all donors will be displayed in the Holiday editions of the Grand Island PennySaver, Island Dispatch and the www.Isledegrande.com web newspaper. Of course, donors who wish to remain anonymous, can certainly request that.
   Anyone wishing to donate new, unused toys or similar gifts for young children, or new, unused outerwear for youth to teens may bring them to the Town Recreation Department office at the Nike Base, 3278 Whitehaven Road. (from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.), to the Grand Island Post Office or Town Hall, until Dec. 12th. For further information, call Linda Tufillaro, Town Rec. Dept. Supervisor, at 773-9680 or contact Henry Kammerer, president of the Neighbors Foundation, at 773-1245.

Please visit our website G-I-Together.ORG and fill out our SURVEY. Every group on Grand Island will have its own FREE webpage, listing: meeting times location, contact persons, your Mission Statement and a listing of events. We will also be linking your news events that appear in the local media and on IsledeGrande.Com Grand Island's E-News Source, to your page, maintaining an archived journal of pictures and news. This is the perfect opportunity for your group to connect with potential new members and the community.