Suneel’s Light, a Western New York non-profit foundation with the mission of raising funds for research that will lead to a cure of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) and to increase public awareness of the genetic disease, has announced that local philanthropist and nationally renowned restaurateur, Russell Salvatore will serve as the 2016 Honorary Chairman of Suneel’s Celebrity Gala, the Foundation’s annual “Dancing with the Stars” inspired fundraiser. Peter M. Vito, retired commissioner of Erie County Central Police Services and chairman and CEO of Peter M. Vito & Associates, Inc., and his wife Elizabeth R. Donatello, Esq. Niagara County Assistant District Attorney were also named Event Chairs. Funds raised by Suneel’s Celebrity Gala in Buffalo help this local non-profit foundation support critical research for treatments in search of a cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), a lethal genetic childhood disease. 

NOCO Express customers and employees helped to raise $13,743 for the United Way of Buffalo & Erie County. Throughout the month of July, donations of $1, $3 or $5 were collected at all 36 NOCO Express stores through a paper t-shirt pin up campaign.

 

“Thanks to the generosity of our customers and employees, NOCO Express has donated more than $45,000 over the past three years through this in-store campaign to benefit United Way programs,” said Jim DeFilippis, vice president and general manager, NOCO Express. “As a family owned and locally operated company, we are proud to support organizations that benefit the Western New York community.”

 

Thirty nine Western New York girls are on their way to smashing through the glass ceiling of the tech and computer programing industry with the assistance of AT&T, WNY STEM Hub, SUNY Buffalo State and the Girls Scouts of Western New York, which have partnered to create and host the region’s first computer coding program exclusively for girls, It’s Your World! Develop It! Powered by AT&T, to encourage more women to enter the field of technology, specifically coding, an industry that is alarmingly male-dominant.