Black Women's Organizations

The Links, Incorporated

Erie County Chapter

The Links, Inc.  is a non profit national organization of women that was founded in 1946 and consists, currently, of more than two hundred seventy (270) chapters in forty (40) states, the District of Columbia, Nassau, Bahamas and Frankfurt, Germany.

The Mission of the Links, Inc.

The Links, Inc. is a volunteer service organization of concerned, committed, and talented women who, linked in friendship, enhance the quality of life in the larger community.  The organization is primarily concerned with enriching, sustaining and ensuring the identities, culture and economic survival of African-Americans and persons of African descent.  To contribute to the formulation of a positive, productive, and culturally diverse society, The Links, Inc. also focuses on education, cultural enrichment, health and wellness and civic involvement. This focus is implemented through strategies such as in public information and education, economic development, and public policy.

The Links, Inc. 1992

The Erie County Chapter of the Links, Inc.

The Erie County chapter was chartered in October 1987 and consists of thirty-five (35) professional women.  The chapter is committed to educational, cultural and civic activities for youth and the community.  Annual projects and programs are held throughout the year.  The chapter's services and activities are aligned with the four facets established by the National Links, Inc.  These are:

• National Trends & Services
• International Trends & Services
• Services to Youth
• The Arts

Programs and services that are delivered under each of these facets include:

National Trends

• Walk-a-thon
• Food Basket Distribution
• Dental Health Education Program
• Participation in "The Women's Pavilion Pan Am 2001"

International Trends

• Host an international student/family
• Adopt the "Vive La Casa" shelter for refugees
• Take a course in Spanish
• Clothing sent to "third world" countries in turmoil

Services to Youth

• Girls and boys to work program
• Provide internships for high school students
• Scholarship awards
• Male Summit with Alpha Phi Alpha
• Christmas stockings for Children's Hospital
• Kids voting
• Town meeting at Buffalo High Schools
• Summit Youth Health Fair
• Earth Day in collaboration with Girl Scouts

The Arts

• Sponsor a play at a local theater
• Talent Search Productions

National Umbrella Project

The umbrella program, Windows of Opportunity, involves each facet of service. The aim is to adopt the third grades in a Buffalo School and provide an enrichment-reading program to increase reading ability of youngsters involved.