Do you know any students struggling with mental health issues and in need of specialized tutoring?  Mental Health Association of Erie County are offering 1-2 hours of weekly tutoring (available Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 6 to 7:30 PM) at their downtown...

For nearly a decade, the Mobile Safety-Net Team (MSNT) has worked tirelessly to bridge the resource gap and give community stakeholders the tools to fight poverty.  Their ethos is one of collaboration and data-driven action.  Recently, their Hub Task Force brought...

What do you like to do in your spare time? Travel, go to concerts, attend Bills and Sabres games, and play board games and puzzles. Who is a hero of yours? My dad… He was very generous, had an incredible network of family and friends, was a great business owner, and...

Last year, in order to support wellness within our agency, CCNY launched a new Paid Paid Vacation perk.  On a bi-monthly basis, a random name is drawn from a pool of full-time staff.  Once a name is pulled, that person must take two days off with an added bonus of...

Download and share interactive PDF version of brochure here.

The Health Foundation For Western & Central New York is offering free workshops specially designed to teach people about trauma and human-centered design as well as how to apply this knowledge.  As part of a multi-year initiative executed across three phases,...

Today marks the 51st anniversary of the first episode of Mister Roger's Neighborhood being filmed.  Multiple generations of latchkey kids will recall the uniquely comforting and stabilizing effect educational programs such as Mister Roger's had on those...

Happy World Sexual Health Day! Sexuality is a natural and normal part of being human.  We’ve all heard it before, enough for it to qualify as a truism.  But to what extent does the average person take that to heart, especially when one is enculturated with...

Last year, in order to support wellness within our agency, CCNY launched a new Paid Paid Vacation perk.  On a bi-monthly basis, a random name is drawn from a pool of full-time staff.  Once a name is pulled, that person must take two days off with an added bonus of...

Happy National Senior Citizens Day! Two years ago, Erie County Senior Services sought to learn more about the overall “age-friendliness” of the county by surveying residents on issues related to the so-called Domains of Livability, which include housing, public and...

This week, we invited CCNY evaluator, Dr. Caitlin Biddle, to do a guest post about a subject near and dear to her heart.  Read on to find out how she applies data analytics to creating the ideal fantasy football team. Fantasy Football Season is quickly approaching and...

Have any concerns about policing in Buffalo?  Make your voice heard at the community forums listed below!

In honor of American Family Day, Community Connections of New York (CCNY) invites you to learn more about our role in the Erie County Wraparound program.  High Fidelity Wraparound (HFW) is a team planning process that is strength-based and family-driven whose primary...

Back in June, a few of our evaluators headed down to Atlanta for Summer Evaluation Institute 2018.  The purpose of attending the conference was threefold: 1.  to build a strong foundation in the methods and profession of evaluation 2.  to learn...

If you missed our Continuous QI Certificate Program this year, don't worry, we've got another 25 spots open for next spring! Our program is spread out across four sessions (26 hours total) and will help you learn tools for building an internal quality improvement (QI)...

Learn more about what Grants Management entails and who won some snazzy prizes in this month's Friday Feature: This is the last episode of our Q&A series until autumn. Thanks for watching!

Last Friday, CCNY undertook an important and extremely scientific internal study of ice cream.  We sampled eight flavors from famed local brand Perry's, including the four limited edition flavors brought back for their 100th anniversary: Butterscotch Sundae, Heavenly...

Who are 12 Grain and what do you do? We are a small group who likes to draw pictures!  We’ve got design skills too that we use to interpret ideas, products, and services for clients. Oishei from Promotional Productions on Vimeo. Laura says: We were asked to...

Last year, the Buffalo Center for Arts and Technology (BCAT) partnered with CCNY to create a special report to improve enrollment, community involvement, and funding strategies as well as strengthen and demonstrate the value of their after-school program.  Over an...

We are pleased to announce that Arounja now contains nearly 200 summer meal sites throughout WNY and the Southern Tier!  Please check each resource entry for hours and program start/ end dates as they do vary. Head on over to arounja.org or download our app on iOS/...

Watch our fourth Friday Feature with Director of Administrative Operations, Martha, and find out more about HR matters as well as our raffle winners! June's theme was Employee Inclusivity, Retention, and Wellness....

Happy Summer Solstice to our dear readers 🌞  We will be announcing our June Friday Feature winners tomorrow so be sure check back to see if you're among them!  Thank you and good luck to everyone who took the time to participate 🙌  And remember, if you...

YOUTH POWER! of Families Together (NYS) are still accepting applications for the 2018 Western Region Youth Leadership Forum (YLF) and accompanying Foundations For Leadership parent/caregiver workshop series.  Please note that it is not required that youth and...

If your organization or agency is in need of assistance improving outcomes and visibility, take a tip from Douglas Adams: don't panic! CCNY offers a wide variety of products and services that can be tailored to your unique needs. We understand that establishing new...

*Please note that the iOS version has been temporarily removed from the App Store.  To be notified of its availability. please subscribe to our mailing list.* Subscribe to our Arounja mailing list for the latest news! * indicates required Email Address * Full...

Job Title: VENDOR SERVICES SUPERVISOR Reports To: Executive Director Weekly Hours: Varies 20-30 hours flexible but may include weekends or evenings Department: Case Management Position Overview Assist in the development of a new Vendor Services program at ACCESS of...

In honor of Star Wars Day, CCNY spoke to Erie County's Director of Intensive Adult Mental Health Services to discuss how we helped them harness the Force of evaluation and QI.  Thanks to Ronald Schoelerman for chatting with us! 1.  How did you first come to work with...

This was perfect timing!  My partner and I already planned a five-day cruise in March with some other relatives, so we were able to use this benefit to go on a couple excursions and try some local Mayan food. Tacos!   We sailed out of New Orleans after a day of...

Attention all health and social service agencies of Central (Syracuse) and Western New York (Batavia): registration is now open for a FREE Retention Specialist training this June. This is an evidence-based model program developed by Cornell University researchers to...

Head on over to our Facebook page to watch our second Friday Feature with David Monroe (snippet below).  Learn more about data evaluation and analytics as well as who won goodies from this month's data-themed raffle basket!

Buffalo Restaurant Week 2018 has officially begun and we've pored over countless menus and fine print to find YOU the best deal in the area.  Check out the map below to explore prices, cuisine types, and more! Click the   icon in the upper-left corner to toggle...

Community Resource Hubs bridge the gap between residents and the services they need - right in their community!  Four of MSNT's community coalition's operate Hubs and are seeking to fill the position of "Resource Hub Coordinator."  This full time, 6 month...

In honor of World Autism Awareness Day, CCNY spoke to Autism Services, Inc. to shed some light on our full spectrum of services.  Thanks to Dawn Van de Wal for chatting with us! 1.  How did you first come to work with CCNY? Our organization...

What do you like to do in your spare time? I enjoy cooking and spending time with friends, my dogs, and family.  I also play a variety of sports including: softball, hockey, dodgeball, volleyball, and football.  If I have time I like to play video games as well. What...

Is your program and practice achieving consistent and tangible goals?  Do you find yourself treading water as opposed to focusing on your organization's primary mission? As a result of the increasing shift to prove the value of programs to funders and clients alike,...

It may not feel like spring yet with all this residual cold and snow but today we usher in a new era for community resource-sharing! Our Android app is now finally available for download in the Google Play Store.  Apple-compatible app coming soon.  If you're not on a...

When wearing the green in South Buffalo, you'll probably need to get a drink at a good bar. CCNY is here to the rescue with quality data about the best beers at three South Buffalo bars. Methods (in this case, how not to do an evaluation) We picked three bars based on...

Watch our inaugural Staff Spotlight featuring CCNY's Executive Director, Heidi Milch, in its entirety on our Facebook page! Pie Raffle segment below:

The importance of play cannot be underestimated.  It is a vital part of child development, helping to foster creativity, dexterity, and resilience, which leads to better adult outcomes and a healthier society.  To that end, CCNY would like you to know about The Play...

The relentless snow may not seem a fitting end for Holi, but what better way to add some color to your life than to curl up with a good book?  Today, we celebrate Read Across America Day and Dr. Seuss’ 114th birthday by presenting to you, the results of our...

Why is CCNY’s mission important to you? CCNY’s mission is really focused on collaborative work and community impact.  I love that we are a diverse team that is structured to really draw on collective backgrounds, skills, and areas of expertise.  This enables us to...

February is shaping up to be a carb-heavy month what with pancakes, fasnachts, and nián gāo.  Originally a way of using up all the fatty foods left in the house before Lent began -hence the French term, Mardi Gras- this year’s Pancake Day a.k.a. Shrove Tuesday comes...

To help you avoid derailing your resolutions, CCNY has some tips on how to get your gluttony on without the guilt!  Scroll to the end for our favorite healthy Pancake Day and Lunar New Year recipes. We begin by dispelling a few myths about healthy eating. ...

Between the pressures and costs to bear from the holidays and growing 24-hour on-call work expectations that come with increasing digitization, it can sometimes feel like we need a break from our de facto vacation.  A 2010 study by the Institute of Leadership and...

Are you a service provider seeking to raise your organization's A-game in an ever-evolving community?  Beginning this spring, CCNY's very own Christa Foschio-Bebak and Heidi Milch will be leading multiple quality improvement training sessions designed with real-world...

Last year, in order to support wellness within our agency, CCNY launched a new Paid Paid Vacation perk.  On a bi-monthly basis, a random name is drawn from a pool of full-time staff.  Once a name is pulled, that person must take two days off with an added bonus of...