Our supporters are the reason that Child and Family Services is able to help so many in our community.

Here are just some of their stories.

An Eagle Scout Gets His Wings

Most teenage boys are completely over picture books and nursery rhymes, but Brandon Stachowski was on a mission to collect as many children’s books as possible for his project to become an Eagle Scout, and he did. He says it took determination and responsibility to complete the project, but he also had a special motivation.

Brandon’s grandfather passed away last year. Brandon explains, “He always was interested in how I was doing with Boy Scouts, and he really wanted me to be the first Eagle Scout in our family. I always made sure to keep that promise.” 

Brandon organized a collection of used children’s books by coordinating with his elementary school. He reached out to Haven House hoping the books could be a comfort for domestic violence survivors and their children.

He collected more books than Haven House needed. So, more than 500 books were shared with our Foster Care, Residential Services, and Counseling Programs. This added to the lessons Brandon learned through the Eagle Scout process. “I found out how lucky I was to find an organization to be able to help. Even if it was a tiny way, I’m so glad I was able to help your organization because you do a lot of amazing things.”

A Local Company Gives Back

The next time that you drive past a sign, consider that there may be more to it than meets the eye. That’s the case with lawn signs for Roy’s Plumbing, Heating & Cooling. Each lawn sign advertises a spot where they’ve done work for a satisfied customer, but it’s also a gift to a local charity.

Each month, Roy’s holds a contest to see which tech can post the most signs. Customers know that if they say yes, a local nonprofit will receive $5. All those yeses add up! In February, Child and Family Services was the unsuspecting beneficiary of more than $1,200. It’s a welcome surprise that will help in our mission to nurture a healthy and more equitable Western New York for the benefit of current and future generations.

Employees suggest which organizations should benefit from their work. The list is an opportunity to recognize Western New York charities important to the community, while coworkers learn about nonprofits that make a difference for someone they may know through work. President of Roy’s, Marsha Dollendorf explained, “We feel good about it when we do it. Everybody feels good about how much money can be given to others.”

While we do not know who suggested Child and Family Services or why, we are grateful. It feels good for us to know the work we do is noticed in the community. Thank you for that gift as well.