The Buffalo Chapter of Girl Develop It (GDI Buffalo) will once again host the region’s only all-women hackathon, GDI Hacks powered by AT&T, and has expanded it based on the popularity of last year’s event. The event, which will take place on Saturday, November 12th, 2016 from 8 am - 9 pm at the DIG Innovation Center, will be the second all-women hackathon in the region’s history and will expand the number of participants to 70 and double the number of businesses and nonprofits that can take part to 10. During the hackathon, teams of web developers, innovators, technologists, designers and marketing experts will be challenged to provide several area women and minority owned businesses or nonprofits with new or updated websites that they otherwise could not afford or have the expertise to do on their own.

The Rural Outreach Center (ROC) is pleased to announced that it has been awarded a $3,500 grant from Ronald McDonald House Charities of WNY, Inc. to enhance the organization’s “Especially for Kids” program. The grant will be used to purchase therapy supplies, backpacks, school supplies and winter coat gift certificates.

Located at 730 Olean Road in East Aurora, the mission of the Rural Outreach Center is to assist, empower and elevate the impoverished rural population in southern Erie County and surrounding areas. In January, the ROC will launch its ROC Resolutions campaign to shine a spotlight on rural poverty in Western New York. Several well-known members of the local business and sports communities — including co-chairs Steve and Sarah Tasker — will assist in promoting areas of concern for those living in poverty, such as nutrition, utilities, transportation and clothing. 

The Suneel’s Light Foundation, a local non-profit dedicated to raising funds for research that will lead to the treatment and a cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), while increasing public awareness of the genetic disease, is proud to announce that the fourth annual Suneel’s Celebrity Gala will be held on October 29th, from 6 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. in the elegant grand ballroom of Salvatore’s Italian Gardens, 6461 Transit Road, Depew. The “Dancing with the Stars” inspired event will feature six, well-known, local celebrities from across Western New York showcasing their dancing prowess in a head-to-head competition. Tickets for Suneel’s Celebrity Gala are $175 per person or $325 a couple.