Family Service Day
"Men and Women For and With Others"
NOTE: Family Service Day was postponed to the Spring 2023 due to the November snowstorm.
Join alumni, current students, family and friends as we walk with the marginalized and excluded throughout our Western New York community in a mission of reconciliation and justice.
Alumni Family Service Day connects Canisius volunteers with organizations that serve those in need across Buffalo and Erie County.
All are welcome as we put into practice our Jesuit commitment to be “Men and Women for and with Others.”
Family Service Day counts towards current students' required Ignatian service hours.
The locations below were to be part of Alumni Service Day; spring locations will be announced once a date is determined. Reach out to individual organizations like these and others if you would like to volunteer your time to help their causes.
Service locations
The Teacher’s Desk
9 – 11:30 a.m.
The Teacher’s Desk provides free school supplies to needy students in 250 WNY schools.
Duties: Stocking/restocking shelves. Loading/unloading trucks. Building office furniture.
Kevin Guest House
782 Ellicott St. Buffalo, NY 14203
Kevin Guest House is a healthcare hospitality campus that provides accommodations for families traveling for treatment during a medical crisis.
Duties: Landscaping and yard work. Please bring your own equipment.
Ladies of Charity Thrift Store
1122 Broadway, Buffalo NY 14212
9 a.m. – noon
The Ladies of Charity Thrift Store serves families in need on the East Side of Buffalo through their clothing program and holiday Christmas wish partnership.
Duties: Organize holiday toys in preparation for distribution, sort donated items, tag and price store items.
St. Luke’s Mission of Mercy
325 Walden Ave. Buffalo, NY 14211
9 a.m. – noon
St. Luke’s Mission meets the needs of Buffalo’s neediest through addiction recovery services, housing, meal programs, toy programs and after-school tutoring.
Duties: Pack bags into truck at mission then travel to Tarantino Foods to distribute to families.
Buffalo City Mission Thrift Store – Depew
576 Dick Rd #10, Depew, NY 14043
9:30 a.m. – noon
The Buffalo City Mission works to end the destructive patterns of homelessness, addiction and abuse through a variety of services for men, women and children.
Duties: Donation intake and sorting.
Buffalo and Erie County Military & Naval Park
1 Naval Park Cove Buffalo, NY 14202
9 a.m. – noon
The Buffalo and Erie County Military Naval Park honors and recognizes veterans and their sacrifices through educational programs and the preservation of military artifacts.
Duties: Fall cleanup & winter prep in park and on ships.