“Our customer service program marks the start of a new collaboration with Buffalo City Mission, Our Lady of Victory and Cazenovia Recovery to provide opportunities for those who are looking for additional training to begin a new career or change career paths,” said Gary Smith, Ed.D., vice president, innovation and workforce development at Ģ����ý. “Qualified customer service professionals continue to be in high demand, and we are working with local companies to help train potential employees with the skill set employers are looking for to fill both in-person and remote positions.”

As part of the program, students will receive live, instructor led classes, certification exams, eight sessions of work readiness through �հ��dz���������’s ongoing partnership with 716 Ministries, career coaching and mentoring, and employer networking. Program funding is available for qualified applicants through generous support from the Garman Family Foundation.

“The Buffalo City Mission has been ‘restoring lives since 1917.’ We are honored and grateful for the opportunity to continue this tradition by partnering with our colleagues from Ģ����ý, Our Lady of Victory, Cazenovia Recovery and 716 Ministries,” said John Ingersoll, manager, vocational & adult education, Buffalo City Mission. “We look forward to working together to provide this opportunity of personal and professional growth for those participating in the program from Erie and Niagara Counties.”

Classes start Jan. 18 and will be held Mondays thru Thursdays from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. It will be a hybrid model with classes offered at Buffalo City Mission, Our Lady of Victory and Cazenovia Recovery.  

For more information on the program or to enroll, visit .

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Service in the spirit of the Sisters of Mercy is a key part of the Ģ����ý experience, one that has continued throughout the pandemic despite logistical challenges. This summer, students participated in a group project to support a local non profit: .

Grace Guest House supports patients and their families by providing a haven and place of respite when they are receiving care at regional healthcare facilities. It seeks to enable families to focus on their loved ones while tending to the well-being of those families, out-patients and caregivers referred through regional healthcare facilities. ​Grace provides overnight stays and day respite in a secure and peaceful guest house that provides a caring and compassionate environment 24/7, is walking distance to Mercy Hospital and a complimentary shuttle drive away from all of Buffalo’s healthcare facilities.

Trocaire’s MAP students raised two car loads full of non perishable items off the organization’s wish list, volunteered at the House and served as volunteers at its signature fundraiser, Ride with Grace. Ģ����ý also served as a sponsor for Ride with Grace, which is a motorcycle safety and awareness ride that hosted 154 riders. They covered 125 miles, guided by 8 police escorts and supported by 30 sponsors, 52 volunteers. The event raised close to $50,000, all to support families’ stays with Grace House.

Grace seeks to enable families to focus on their loved ones while we focus on the well-being of those families, out-patients and caregivers referred to us through regional healthcare facilities. ​Grace provides overnight stays and day respite in a secure and peaceful guest house that provides a caring and compassionate environment 24/7, is walking distance to Mercy Hospital and a complimentary shuttle drive away from all of Buffalo’s healthcare facilities.

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Spring 2021 Efforts Result in $1,740 Impact in Local Community

April is National Volunteer Month, and Trocaire is marking the occasion by highlighting some of the recent good work by the college’s Mercy Action Project (MAP).

What is MAP?

Service is in �հ��dz���������’s very DNA as a college founded by the Sisters of Mercy. As part of �հ��dz���������’s commitment to its Mercy heritage and the impact service makes in the community, every student must participate in MAP before graduation.

This co-curricular learning experience provides local service opportunities that integrate �հ��dz���������’s mission while connecting that service to a student’s career path. The purpose of MAP is to promote a campus culture committed to personal enrichment and service in the spirit of the Sisters.

Spring 2021 MAP students had the opportunity to serve in a group project supporting (JFS).

Immigrant and Refugee Resettlement Project

One of the ways JFS assists the local refugee, immigrant and asylum-seeking population is by welcoming them to their new homes and providing household necessities to get them started. This spring, MAP students—with help from the generosity of the Trocaire community—collected 20 baskets of household goods to help that effort, which will be placed in houses awaiting their new refugee and immigrant residents.

MAP students raised more than $1,000 worth of basket items, in addition to $500 in gift cards that will allow JFS Resettlement Project families to purchase items needed to settle into their homes themselves.

Catherine McAuley, foundress of the Sisters of Mercy, would be proud as our students committed to working in the name of one of the Sisters’ Critical Concerns, Immigration,” said Colleen Steffen, coordinator of community-based learning at Trocaire. “These baskets give dignity to those needing it most by helping them to set up their home with blankets, comfort items, cleaning supplies and emergency items as they begin new lives.

COVID-19 Relief Fund

MAP students also supported JFS’ COVID-19 relief fund by selling 48 succulents in one week, resulting in $240. These funds will go to benefit the three groups JFS has identified as suffering most as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic: children, families and senior citizens.

COVID-19 has definitely shifted the way service and volunteering looks in our world,” said Steffen. “Despite this adjustment, our Spring 2021 MAP students have stepped up and made a difference. We each have the power to carry the Mercy legacy forward, and I am proud to see our students make this impact in our community.

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This month, they are coordinating an art supply drive for the .

The Seneca Street CDC’s mission reads: “The SSCDC partners with our neighbors in the Seneca Babcock community to provide a supportive environment to overcome educational, social and economic barriers. We provide opportunities for the entire community to acquire skills that build resiliency and self-reliance, enhancing the quality of life and potential for current and future generations in neighborhood.”

Interested in contributing? Drop off items in the boxes around the Choate campus, or donate using the project’s . The drive will continue through Oct. 30.

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�հ��dz���������’s was awarded the LEAN Forward Award by the at the organization’s third annual Illumination event, held on May 2.

MAP was recognized for contributing selflessly to the fulfillment of the organizations’ mission to educate, support and empower those in the lupus community. A co-curricular learning experience, MAP provides service opportunities that integrate the college’s mission and connect service to a student’s career path. All Trocaire students must complete at least one MAP learning experience prior to completing their program and graduating.

Past and present Trocaire students like Tadie Kowalski, ’97, ’05, ’18 (Health Information Technology), Kortney Dixon ’18 (Nursing), Sarah Pordan ‘18 (Nursing), and Siddika Choudhury (Nursing)  each chose to complete their required MAP service hours at the Lupus Alliance, which is based out of Buffalo. Projects included assistance in coordination of the Lupus Alliance Walk and Treat Raffle as well as actively participating in education and advocacy efforts for the group.

““My proudest moments in my position are found when students are truly transformed by their service experience, and continue to give time to an organization even after their required MAP service hours are completed,” said Colleen Steffen, coordinator of Community-Based Learning. “With the Lupus Alliance of Upstate New York, these students have found a sense of social responsibility and continue to give back to our community.”

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One of the best parts about working at Ģ����ý is the ability to connect and engage with our Buffalo and Western New York communities. Whether it’s as a faculty or staff member, working here is the chance to be part of an institution that possesses a mission that truly encourages participation such as volunteerism, civic engagement, and other means of engaging and interacting with members of our community. This environment is influenced by our founders the , their , and because of their influence and the college’s heritage, it’s truly a great place to work.

As we are always looking for amazing people to join our college community, if you are interested in job opportunities with the college, !

How I’m Involved- National Federation for Just Communities of WNY (NFJCWNY)

One of the ways I am active in my community is as a Board of Directors member of the (NFJCWNY). All of the organization’s programs promote understanding and respect among people of all races, religions, and cultures through advocacy, conflict resolution, and education. In accomplishing our work, we seek first to raise awareness and then to educate and empower our youth, as well as emerging and community leaders to become agents of change in transforming our society. To accomplish our goals requires the dedication of the organization’s hard working staff, my fellow board members, and volunteers, as well as the support of individuals, corporations, and foundations. We actively open dialogue in the community others may be hesitant to discuss in safe, respectful forums. This work is meaningful and crucial given today’s divisive political and social climates.

The NFJCW recently and it was a wonderful opportunity to hear a bit about his personal and professional journey, and how he has made an impact within higher education and our community. Individuals are awarded this citation based in part to their devotion to the spirit of human relations. In addition to Dr. Deeb, this year’s honorees were: Pamela Jacobs Vogt (Community Leader), Gary P. Hall (WTS, Inc.), and Dr. Sol Messinger (Community Leader). Each are inspirational leaders and it was a wonderful celebration of their contributions to our community. Ģ����ý was honored to be included in the festivities!

I’m very proud of my board membership and of the activities and events of the NFJCWNY. They are truly working towards greater understanding within our community, and the work they do could not be any more important than it is today. If you’d like to learn more about them, make sure to check out their website or on and !

What it all Means to Me

When I began my work at Ģ����ý, I had no idea how the five critical concerns of the Sisters of Mercy would affect me so deeply. Getting to know the mission and values of Trocaire and seeing them in action every day on the job while working with staff, faculty, and students, I recognize now that I identify with and care deeply about those critical concerns and feel passionate about making sure that I weave them into my everyday life and work. That’s why I’m involved with organizations like the NFJCWNY and that’s why I’m proud that my college community encourages my active participation.

Working toward greater good in Buffalo and Western New York makes me happy and makes me feel as though I am putting my skills and education to good use, making a positive impact and a difference in my community. Working at Trocaire allows me to do that and so much more. I am working somewhere that changes people’s lives. That is because our students choose their individual career-oriented path here, and through hard work and perseverance they go on to change the trajectory of their lives and that of the members of their families, many of them going on to have one-on-one contact in the healthcare professions, taking care of our citizens and making their own unique positive impact on our community and the world.

Coming to work every day is challenging, rewarding, and a wonderful way to make an impact and I’m glad to be a part of this very unique college community.

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Community relations and community outreach refers to the various methods used to establish and maintain mutually beneficial relationships with the community and �հ��dz���������’s most important stakeholders.

Part of that work ensures that Trocaire is well represented and that our college community makes positive contributions to the community we are a part of. We can’t accomplish that unless we head out into Western New York and meet with and talk to people and organizations to learn about them and identify where there may be opportunity to connect and collaborate.

Recently, Trocaire’s Director, Marketing and Public Relations made contact with several amazing Western New York nonprofit organizations that are doing incredibly important work within the community. In fact, many of their missions and visions align well with the of Trocaire’s founders and thus, you can see a Mercy spirit alive and well within many areas of Buffalo Niagara.

Here are a few of the organizations she got to know better. Check them out to learn more about the ways they contribute to our community and make sure to contact them if you are interested in learning more!

– aims to increase access to and the utilization of preconception, prenatal, perinatal and postpartum health care services within vulnerable populations to enable improved birth outcomes.

–
Raises awareness, develops systems and provides advocacy that improves engagement and outcomes with
restorative solutions for offenders, victims and community.

works to integrate foreign born Western New Yorkers through a diverse array of support services including those within the healthcare sector.

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Ģ����ý’s Radiologic Technology (RT) Club had a busy Fall 2018, and already has plans to do more this semester.

In October, for the third consecutive year, the club made a donation and participated in the at Canalside in downtown Buffalo.

Then, RT faculty members Carol Weber, Rachel Suto McCormick and Pamela Vance were treated to a personal tour of the new John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital of Buffalo, hosted by Senior Director of Facilities Jessica Mabie. Jessica’s husband, Ryan, is a sophomore in the Radiologic Technology program at Trocaire.

“Not only were we able to see the new Oishei facility, it was an opportunity to reconnect with our alumni,” Weber explained. “Oshei serves as a clinic site for our program, and there are numerous RT graduates employed in the Radiology/Imaging department.”

RT Club members were so impressed by Oishei that they decided to support a family in need through the hospital’s program for the club’s annual holiday charity event. This initiative helps pair individuals and groups with families that have chronically or terminally ill children in the hospital, and cannot afford gifts or might not be able to go out to do shopping.

Following the close of the Fall 2018 semester, club officers, Ryan Mabie and Carol Weber went to Target to fulfill the wish list for the family they were given. They took the gifts to the hospital on Dec. 20 for distribution.

“It was such a fun and rewarding experience,” Weber said.

In spring, the club will once again help with Easter baskets at St. Luke’s Mission of Mercy.

Stop by the bulletin board outside the Rad Tech laboratory in the basement any time to see the latest club news!

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Unite by Night was founded in 2017 by Perryman and three friends, aiming to collaborate, communicate and use their creativity and professional skills to help support local nonprofits that align with their values. They believe in the value of diversity and inclusion efforts, having frank but respectful conversations about divisive topics to identify common ground, and fighting against racism, bias and discrimination. The organization recently partnered with the Brew Bus Buffalo to launch Buffalo Public Art Tours in 2019, with all ticket profits donated to the SSJ Sister Karen Klimczak Center for Nonviolence. To learn more check out:

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