The Nick Iannarelli Memorial Fund

01/29/2026

Donation highlight- We are grateful to support Build Promise, a ministry started by the late Amy Betros of St. Luke’s Mission. Her vision was to create a place for those trying to escape homelessness with mercy and dignity to help emerge from this cycle. Research has shown that the greatest barrier to leaving poverty is access to programs and services.

For many years before Nick passed, our family had a tradition to make donations instead of gifts at Christmas. Our sons each selected a charity and wrote a letter why it was chosen. The last charity Nick selected in 2017 was the city mission. He was living downtown and saw poverty firsthand. After attending the Build Promise ribbon cutting last October, we knew he would absolutely want to help. Nick is now an “Angel of Light” in the Amy’s Angels Gift Society. We can’t think of a better description for him than this. He was pure love and light.

Please take a moment to watch this video describing the mission and check out their website. Imagine being homeless in this life threatening cold. Help is desperately needed 🙏

https://youtu.be/5aV0-LstMuQ?si=451Iyrqb8zzmzTbO

https://buildpromise.com/

09/19/2025

Donation highlight- We have just donated to Home of My Own of WNY, Inc. . Their mission is to create safe, social and integrated apartment communities tailored for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We received so many letters after Nick's passing with stories of his help and friendship to those who were marginalized or disregarded. This included the disabled, elderly and ill. We witnessed him help a co-worker on the autistic spectrum in one of his summer college jobs. He sadly told us no one else had patience for his questions. Sometimes Nick stayed after his shift to help him.

We attended the Home of My Own of WNY, Inc. grand opening on Sept. 6th and took a tour hosted by one of the residents. Immediately we felt Nick's presence to a flood of tears. We heard his voice say "this is good" and knew this was a mission he supported. Our donation will help construct one of their first community rooms which will allow a space for education, group recreation and foster a sense of community amongst the residents. We encourage you to check out the page and website for this wonderful charity! https://homeofmyownofwny.org/

04/08/2025

We have donated to St. Luke's Mission of Mercy. Please take a moment to read why. There is not enough room here to describe all the ways St. Luke’s helps the community and follows the principles of Jesus Christ. Instead we would like to share a story. We met the founder, Amy Betros, in the early 1990s at a St. John Maron church event. She was caring for two women with intellectual disabilities who had been abandoned by their families. She spoke about how each of us are God’s children deserving of love. This is the mission of St. Luke’s…to serve God’s most abandoned.

St. Luke’s was founded in 1994, the same year Nick was born. He lived his life the same way, showing kindness to all but especially to those abandoned and lonely. We are happy to honor his memory with this donation. Please read more about this amazing organization especially now during the Lenten season. https://www.stlukesmissionofmercy.org/

01/22/2025

We are so happy to share this video of White Whiskers Senior Dog Sanctuary of WNY. We have donated significantly to this wonderful charity providing homes for senior and discarded dogs. This the only facility of its kind in WNY and it’s been a long journey to fund the costs and find a location. Just like people, dogs deserve the right to live their final days surrounded by love and kindness 🐾 ❤️

10/01/2024

We have donated to the American Red Cross to help those impacted by the devastation of Hurricane Helene. The Red Cross is not only providing much needed food, water and shelter, they are also helping to reconnect family with missing loved ones. They are doing this work across the five states most affected 🙏🙏

09/26/2024

Supporting the senior community is a top priority for our fund. Senior Wishes is a fantastic charity we have donated to. Check out this great news segment on all they do ❤️

The founder of Senior Wishes helps to fulfill lifelong dreams for the elderly in WNY, showing it's never too late to have a wish come true.

09/09/2024

Donation highlight - We have donated to Buddy's Second Chance Rescue. Nick loved animals, especially dogs. Every year we choose an animal rescue charity. A recent plea for help caught our eye for a sweet little puppy hit by a car in Niagara Falls. Buddy's rescued this pup with two broken legs and paid for the surgery costing $10,000. Buddy's does many medical interventions and we are comforted to help in Nick’s memory. Hopefully someone will adopt her soon! Please see Buddy's FB page to learn more about this wonderful charity Buddy's Second Chance Rescue

06/15/2024

Donation highlight-We have donated to the P.U.NT. Pediatric Cancer Collaborative. This is a very personal donation. Please take a moment and read why. Founded in 2004 by Buffalo Bills Punter Brian Moorman, P.U.N.T. offers six different programs to help families cope with the emotional and financial challenges of pediatric cancer. The newest program, “Ultimate Compassion” is most dear to us because it will provide resources for families losing a child for any reason, not just cancer. The charity will expand upon on a NY grant to establish a local grief center including help for siblings whose grief is often overlooked. When we lost Nick, we struggled to find resources to help us cope. This is very needed in our community and we are so happy to support this initiative through the generosity of our many donors. Thank you for allowing us to remember Nick in such an impactful way. Please see the P.UN.T. FB page to learn more about this wonderful charity PUNT Pediatric Cancer Collaborative

https://www.wgrz.com/article/news/health/mental-health/500k-grant-to-be-used-to-build-grief-center-in-wny/71-d4f0d5bb-9c9b-47c8-8044-800f6b59e6be?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1bjSYk76Yo0yEWOZsbERY_kASE8qJFhFrCxxS9_d0JB7aX1lW9EVgSrMU_aem_ZmFrZWR1bW15MTZieXRlcw

05/01/2024

Donation highlight- We have donated to SENIOR WISHES in honor of Nick’s Grandpa’s 90th birthday. Senior Wishes is a local charity granting life enriching wishes to seniors and those in care facilities. They recognize the service of WNY senior veterans with HERO boxes and bring gifts to many isolated seniors at the holidays. We have routinely supported the aging whether person or animal, because their lives still matter and should be cherished! Please see their FB page for more info on this important charity Senior Wishes

04/04/2024

Donation Highlight- There is so much devastation in the world whether from war, natural disaster or famine. Every year we sponsor global charities. We always vet our charities to make sure they are actually in the field. We have issued grants to the International Red Cross and UNICEF who are each in over 100 countries providing lifesaving supplies and assistance. Thank you again to our generous donors who allow us to honor Nick’s memory ❤️. Please see their FB pages to see their important work UNICEF USA, International Committee of the Red Cross

12/17/2023

We are honored that The Nick Iannarelli Memorial Fund has purchased a paver this Christmas to remember and honor Nick. Here at Kevin Guest House our Healing Garden becomes an oasis for our guests as they walk the path of remembrance, seek respite in our gazebo and enjoy nature for a brief escape. Purchase a paver to remember or honor a loved one this holiday season: https://kevinguesthouse.com/give/garden/

12/14/2023

Donation Highlight - We are happy to sponsor Kevin Guest House this Christmas. For more than 50 years, Kevin Guest House has been providing a comfortable home for patients and families traveling to receive critical healthcare in Buffalo. We will be inscribing a paver in the Healing Garden to remember and honor Nick. Please read more about this wonderful organization on their FB page Kevin Guest House