different ways we assist The WNY community.
Conor’s Christmas
A Foundation tradition since 2020, Conor’s Christmas is a special way for members of our
community to receive unexpected gifts at Christmastime. Recipients are nominated by friends
in the community. Those being nominated may have experienced a serious medical event, may
be facing an unexpected financial crisis or may have done something extraordinary for a
member of the community and The Foundation happily offers an unexpected gift for being the
agent of special acts of kindness. After collecting donated gifts from our friends in the
community and doing some extra shopping, The Foundation’s volunteers deliver gifts in a
customized Holiday trolley with a little help from Santa and Mrs. Clause!
Youth Yoga
This program started in 2019 to offer elementary school children some tools to improve their
self regulation, mindfulness and focusing skills. Plus, it’s a lot of fun! The program is conducted
before school one day a week in the school gymnasium. Locations for the program rotate
through the Hamburg School District. Even COVID couldn’t stop this program! Then, the
program’s Spring session was held outdoors.
The HSA Bulldog Dash in Celebration of Conor Long
The Conor J. Long Foundation sponsored and assisted with the annual Bulldog Dash in Celebration of Conor Long. This event was created and founded by Conor when he as a student at Hamburg High School. The Bulldog Dash uses the funds it raises to provide students in the Health Science Academy with “hands-on” learning experiences in local healthcare facilities. A portion of the proceeds also goes to ConnectLife of Western New York.
The CJL Spring Cleanup
The objective of the Spring Clean Up is to help those in our community in a basic, but
meaningful way. The event, created with Conor’s boundless capacity for doing small things for
people that were, nevertheless, life changing. It’s a simple concept: homeowners who are
challenged to do yard work are going to need help clearing away the debris left behind by
winter. Enter The Conor J. Long Foundation! Candidate households are identified by reaching
out to area social service providers, elected officials and via other outreach. Volunteers are
found by reaching out to area schools, especially their sports teams, utilizing social media and
other outreach methods. This was The foundation’s first community service event, held in 2019
when there were 120 volunteers working at 32 households. Since 2024, more than 400 volunteers have
worked at over 100 households.
Elderwood PenPal Program
The CJL Foundation initiated a new PenPal Program with Elderwood Assisted Living to provide a communication system for our friends at their Hamburg location. This program allowed people to write letters to residents at Elderwood to show that they were not alone during the COVID-19 pandemic!
Our Scholarship Program
The Conor J. Long Foundation has proudly offered scholarships to High School seniors since
2018. The Foundation’s scholarship program is designed to offer financial assistance to High
School Seniors who stand out in the areas of leadership and athletics and for confronting the
challenges presented by having a special need. Applications for the 2025 scholarship program
are coming soon! So far, the Foundation has awarded $25,000 in Scholarships.
Meals For Healthcare Heroes
When COVID-19 hit the Western New York community, The Conor J. Long Foundation sprung into action! Our Foundation was proud to announce “Meals for Healthcare Heroes”. This program raised $15,000 within 30 days to provide meals for local doctors, nurses, EMT’s, and nursing home workers. Our foundation was also able to help the local restaurant industry by having these restaurants provide the meals to our “Healthcare Heroes”!
The CJL Foundation Wheelchair Donation
The Foundation has proudly donated over 2 running wheelchairs in partnership with Aignsley’s
Angels. Area individuals who need specialized wheelchairs are able to participate in area
running events with a loved one pushing them through the course. Conor truly loved running.
He was a member of the Hamburg High School’s Cross Country team and planned to run on the
Cross Country team at St. Bonaventure. Running brought Conor a great sense of peace,
happiness and satisfaction. It has been the Foundation’s honor to bring those same feelings to
members of this community with these donations.