Local/Region

NCCF event celebrates community impact

The Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation (NCCF) recently tried something new, hosting its first-ever progressive dinner, an event that took guests to various locations throughout the region to see what they have to offer. The dinner was thoughtfully titled, "An Evening Together for Tomorrow."

The event was designed to be both a celebration of the community and an introduction to the work of NCCF, bringing together prospective donors, nonprofit partners, and NCCF staff, board members, and committee members for an evening that let guests experience the foundation’s impact firsthand across Northern Chautauqua County.

The unique experience was organized by Jeannie Gallaway, a Rural Philanthropy Fellow at NCCF through the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, along with NCCF Community Engagement Coordinator Leslie Wille and Executive Director Diane Hannum.

"I really wanted to lift up our nonprofit communities' voices, presence, and the work that they are doing," Gallaway said. "I think that the nonprofits in northern Chautauqua County all do incredible work. This was an opportunity for us to showcase our grantmaking, as well as our grantees."

Each stop on the progressive dinner highlighted a different nonprofit organization supported through NCCF grantmaking, giving guests a firsthand look at the range of community needs the foundation helps address -- from social services and education to arts, youth development, and animal welfare. NCCF also partnered with local food and beverage vendors at each stop, giving guests a taste of the region while introducing them to area businesses.

One guest for the evening, Amy Piper, called it "interesting to get an inside look at some of the nonprofits in town." Piper attended the event with John Felton, who described himself as less familiar with the north county nonprofits. Felton called it "a unique and informative experience," adding that the work performed by the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation is "impactful and needed."

Piper and Felton were just two of many guests to consider the event a success. More than a dozen guests hopped from location to location to witness the impact NCCF has on the region. Westfield's Marilyn and John Hemmer, the 2026 George B. Weaver Jr. Footprints Award winners, were among the guests at the event.

The evening began at St. Columban’s on the Lake, located at 2546 Lake Road, Silver Creek. Sister Corona led guests on a tour rich with history and examples of NCCF’s grantmaking impact on the beautifully maintained grounds. Guests sampled grape juice from Sunset Sky Farms and vegetable cups from Maggitti Farm, alongside refreshments from St. Columban’s. Guest Joan Caruso said it was "meaningful to see where that money goes," reflecting on the tour and Sister Corona’s attention to the group.

From there, guests traveled to Lakeshore Humane Society at 431 East Chestnut Street, Dunkirk. While there, Rock Vallone and his team introduced visitors to the shelter’s cats and dogs and shared how community collaboration -- including hundreds of volunteers and a partnership with Purina -- keeps the organization running. Vallone noted that income from the organization’s designated fund helps support its daily mission. Guests enjoyed a Very Berry Salad from Duper’s. Guest Sue Poster said it was "wonderful to see the inside of each place and to learn about the organizations."

The group then visited Chautauqua County Rural Ministry at 319 Washington Avenue in Dunkirk, where Executive Director Bridget Majka presented on the organization’s reach across Dunkirk, and even as far as Westfield. Guests were surprised to learn the ministry provides 15,000 meals a month, and enjoyed wraps and chips from Duper’s.

Next was the Chautauqua Children’s Gym, located at 3469 East Main Road, Suite E, Dunkirk. Executive Director Dawn Manzella gave guests a hands-on tour and shared her own story alongside the importance of safe, fun, inclusive spaces for people of all ages and abilities. She also highlighted new equipment purchased with grant funding from NCCF. Guests sampled Raspberry Jammies from Om Nohm. Manzella said the evening’s structured format made it easy to showcase her organization, noting that having a dedicated time window and refreshments in place let her share her gym "with little pressure or being put on the spot."

The evening concluded at the historic 1891 Opera House, located at 9 Church Street, Fredonia. Executive Director Rick Davis shared how NCCF-held endowments and designated funds have supported critical projects to preserve the building and keep its doors open, along with grants from NCCF’s Community Grants Program. Guests toasted with wine from Johnson Estate Vineyards and sparkling grape juice from Welch’s.

Closing out the night on the Opera House stage, Wille offered a toast that captured the spirit of the evening. She said, "The mission of the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation is to improve the quality of life for everyone who lives, works, and plays in Northern Chautauqua… If you think about a puzzle, the picture isn’t complete without each of those interlocking pieces in place. Take one piece out, and you don’t have a complete picture. That’s how our community is - we need all of these pieces to make our community stronger. We need organizations, we need the funders, we need the donors. We need all of the pieces in place."

The evening reinforced NCCF’s role as a connector, linking donors with the organizations and initiatives creating real impact across the community, as well as with the local farms, restaurants, and vineyards that helped bring the evening to life. Guests left with a deeper understanding of what NCCF makes possible and how their support can extend that impact even further.

Poster said her group had already been talking to others about what they’d learned, with hopes their own organizations could be included in next year’s event, and fellow guest Joan Caruso agreed, calling the evening "a success, well worth repeating in the future."

Attendees, including NCCF board members, also came away with new stories and firsthand knowledge to share with others, extending the evening’s impact through word of mouth.

"It was a win-win for everybody involved," Gallaway said. "It was an opportunity for guests to experience nonprofits and local foods they might not have tried before, as well as learn more about the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation."

Since its incorporation in 1986, NCCF has invested nearly $25 million in northern Chautauqua County through strategic grantmaking, targeted scholarships, and leadership and community collaborations. NCCF, a nationally accredited community foundation, is a tax-exempt charitable organization inherently committed to enhancing the northern Chautauqua community and encouraging local philanthropy. For more information on NCCF, visit www.nccfoundation.org or call (716) 366-4892.