Background

BonaResponds is a volunteer-based, service organization at St. Bonaventure University formed weeks after Hurricane Katrina whose purpose is to help those in need. 

Our original mission was to provide support to the Gulf Coast, but it quickly became apparent there were many others in need of help — some of which were in our own community.

From this, we decided to respond to disasters and smaller events across the globe and at home whenever we could.

Since 2005, BonaResponds has built over 370 wheelchair ramps and conducted disaster relief across multiple states. Many of these ramps were built in the Bonaventure community, including the ramp in front of My Sunshine School in Allegany. 

Facts and Figures:

• 366 wheelchair ramps built

• 155+ service trips, including trips to 22 states and several international trips

• 2,650 handmade blankets for cancer patients

• Hosted 7 seminars on immigration that included assembling and shipping over 2000 food packets to the Mexican-American border.

• Participated in eight Remote Area Medical (RAM) clinics providing over $1 million + of free dental, vision and medical care to patients in Western New York.

• Maintain 4.5 miles of Bob’s Wood trails around campus

• Sent over  2,600 WarmSnugglyBlankets to cancer patients

• Installed 30 birdhouses throughout Bob’s Woods and the Allegany River Trail.

• Established a student travel fund to make our trips accessible to all students

Future Plans

• One workday virtually every weekend

• Offset all carbon emissions from BonaResponds activities.
  

BonaResponds is largely a self sustaining enterprise. We do rely on University insurance and other overhead (for instance our meetings are largely on campus we use university computers etc.), but we do not receive money from the university. Thus we rely on donations. Donations are deductible (the University is a 503-C and hence we qualify). Donations can be made through St. Bonaventure (please indicate the money is for BonaResponds).

BonaResponds
Box BY
St. Bonaventure NY 14778