Community engagement is a hallmark of our country and one of its greatest assets. It is manifested in the myriad of ways in which people participate in community life, as leaders and volunteers, as good citizens and good neighbors, in any role that promotes the common good.

Community engagement builds our neighborhoods, our voluntary institutions, our cities and villages. Above all, it builds social capital—that is, the trust and goodwill that make a civil society possible and enrich the lives of everyone.

The Center’s mission is to promote community engagement, first, by fostering citizen involvement, especially in voluntary and nonprofit organizations; and, second, by strengthening the voluntary and nonprofit organizations themselves.

As you explore the programs and resources offered on this website, you will notice that, wherever possible, the Center, which is housed on the campus of St. John Fisher College, encourages partnership and collaboration, modeling the sense of community it seeks to bring about.