Community Outreach and External Partnerships

By working hand-in-hand with community partners—including city officials, school districts, healthcare providers, and neighborhood organizations—the Levesque Institute translates Niagara University’s mission into meaningful action. Together, we deliver programs that prepare high school students for college, expand access to workforce training, and address health and wellness needs for families and seniors. These partnerships have resulted in cleaner neighborhoods, an increased number of experiential learning projects, new opportunities for youth employment, and stronger pathways to higher education.

Highlights

Vincentian Heritage Week — The Levesque Institute coordinated service projects and supported interviews for the 400 Years Vincentian video, which featured NU student volunteers serving meals and assisting guests at Heart, Love & Soul. The Institute donated turkeys to supplement a holiday shortage for 20 families and gathered NU student volunteers from the Men’s Hockey team and Brennan Scholars—for the Turkey Dinner Giveaway at Kalfas Elementary School, where 600 Niagara Falls families received a turkey with can goods and other fixings to make a full Thanksgiving dinner. The turkey giveaway is sponsored annually by Bridge Niagara Foundation and Aero Transportation, owned by Niagara University alumni Nasreen Akhtar, ’16.

Community Services Resource Fair — Each semester, NU students are connected with local nonprofits, businesses, and healthcare providers to learn more about resources offered, service learning, and employment opportunities. The event is held on campus in the Gallagher Center.

Junior Achievement Career Pathways — Training is offered yearly to NU students to become certified JA Program Facilitators. Certification permits volunteers to deliver JA curriculum for Levesque Institute partners locally, and to facilitate programs nationwide, expanding their service opportunities while increasing the number of student volunteers available to deliver financial literacy, work and career readiness and entrepreneurship lessons for students in grades K-12.

Parachute Financial Services Literacy Workshops — In collaboration with Parachute Credit Counseling and the BankOnBuffalo-Niagara Coalition, students and families participated in financial literacy sessions during Spring 2025 campus visits and the first day of summer camp. These workshops introduced safe banking services, budgeting, and money management skills.

Niagara Area Habitat for Humanity Rock the Block — Members of NU’s Women’s Basketball team, Catholic Heart Work Camp youth, city residents, and corporate volunteers joined together in the South End of Niagara Falls near 25th Street to improve housing exteriors and beautify neighborhoods.

Niagara Beautification Commission Green Acres Garden — Located on 4th Street and Ferry Avenue in Niagara Falls’ South End, this initiative engaged students in sustainability and food security efforts. Levesque Institute work study Leeann Gajewski partnered with Niagara Beautification to help NU students break ground on a new community garden and clean surrounding streets.

National Night Out — Levesque Institute provided sponsorship to support the event in partnership with law enforcement, Highland and Garden Avenue Block Club, community partners, and local vendors. National Night Out promotes safety, trust and neighborhood pride. The event was held at Gill Creek in Niagara Falls, N.Y.

Men Standing Stronger Community Youth Fun Day — Hosted annually at Gluck Park in Niagara Falls, this event brought together families, youth, and community organizations to celebrate wellness, recreation, and family engagement. Levesque supports the event each year through sponsorship for youth activities and volunteer recruitment.

Niagara Falls City School District (NFCSD) Kindergarten Jamboree — The institute annually supports incoming kindergarteners and families with literacy readiness activities and distributed over 300 early childhood books to families.