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STONY BROOK LEGENDARY LIGHTS INC
Lancaster, NY · EIN 921054720 · Form 990EZ · FY2024 · NTEE P12 · Human Services · Small ($100K-$1M) · stonybrooklights.org
revenue
$120K
expenses
$119K
net assets
$2K
employees
—
mission · from form 990

Stony Brook Legendary Lights is a 501(c)(3) non-profit neighborhood organization that is devoted to partnering with, and donating to, local to Western New York (WNY), child-centric charities. Our neighborhood community decorates their homes with holiday lights that turn on Thanksgiving night and shine nightly through January 1st. Each evening, visitors drive or walk through the neighborhood to view the lights and have the option to donate, if they wish to, online, or at any of the donation drop boxes set up throughout the neighborhood. At the end of the season, all donations are presented to a predetermined, local to Western New York (WNY), child-centric charity. Visitors also donate can and bottles throughout the year that we turn is to collect the deposit returns.

profile · synthesized from sources

Stony Brook Legendary Lights is a nonprofit neighborhood initiative in Lancaster, NY, where residents decorate their homes with holiday lights from Thanksgiving through January 1st. Visitors drive or walk through the display and may donate; proceeds are given to local child-centric charities in Western New York. The organization also collects cans and bottles year-round, donating the deposit returns to selected causes.

named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

Can and Bottle Drive
Year-round collection of recyclable cans and bottles; deposit returns are donated to beneficiary charities
Mini Cooper Parade
Annual parade through the neighborhood organized by the Mini Cooper Club of WNY during the holiday season
Stony Brook Holiday Lights Display
Annual holiday lights display running from Thanksgiving through January 1st, featuring decorated homes in the Stony Brook neighborhood; visitors are encouraged to donate
activities · 4 groups

What they do

  • Community Festival & Event Production 2 activities
    • Annual holiday lights display fundraiser
      Organizes and hosts an annual holiday lights display in Lancaster, NY, running from Thanksgiving night through January 1st, which serves as a public fundraising event to collect donations for local child-centric charities in Western New York. The event includes visitor guidance via route maps, parking recommendations, and promotion of walking tours to enhance community engagement and minimize disruption.
    • Documentation and archiving of holiday events
      Maintains and shares a public archive of photographs and drone videos from annual holiday light displays, including documented collections from the 2022, 2023, and 2024 seasons, to preserve community memories and promote ongoing engagement.
  • Community Foundation & United Way Support 1 activity
    • Charitable grantmaking through community voting
      Annually selects a recipient organization through a neighborhood-wide or community vote and awards a charitable grant, with past recipients including the Evan Wood Fund (2022), P.U.N.T. Pediatric Cancer Collaborative (2023), and the Depew-Lancaster Boys and Girls Club (2024).
  • Community Event Fundraising 1 activity
    • Community fundraising and engagement events
      Hosts supplementary community events such as a Mini Cooper parade (held December 9, 2023, and December 11, 2022) and a fundraiser at Fattey Beer Co. on October 25, 2024, featuring live music, raffles, and donation opportunities to support the organization’s charitable mission.
  • Recycling-Driven Fundraising Programs 1 activity
    • Year-round can and bottle drive
      Collects returned cans and bottles throughout the year to generate deposit refunds, which support the organization’s charitable giving initiatives.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$120K
Contributions & grants$120K100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$119K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$118K
balance sheet
Total assets$2K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$2K
3 years on record · 2022–2024 · YoY revenue -21.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

board members · 2
  • Gary Nyman — President/Board Member
  • Nathan Bateman — Director
relationships · 30

Who they work with

  • 26 Shirts Partner — Collaborates with 26 Shirts to sell special edition shirts, with proceeds benefiting youth organizations.
  • 26 Shirts Partner — Diamond level sponsor in 2024
  • Boys & Girls Club of Depew-Lancaster Partner — Receives $8 per special edition shirt sold through the 26 Shirts collaboration.
  • Buffalo Synapse Support LLC Partner — Bronze level sponsor in 2024
  • Canal Club 62 Partner — Bronze level sponsor in 2024
  • Depew-Lancaster Boys and Girls Club Partner — Beneficiary organization receiving funds raised by the holiday lights display.
  • Depew-Lancaster Boys and Girls Club Partner — Selected as the 2024 donation recipient through a community vote.
  • Dr. David Dickman, DDS Partner — Bronze level sponsor in 2024
  • Eric Wood Partner — Hosted former Buffalo Bills player Eric Wood for a community visit during the 2022 season
  • Evan Wood Fund Partner — Recipient of the organization's 2022 donation, supporting care for chronically ill children in Western New York.
  • Fattey Beer Co. Partner — Hosted a fundraising event for the organization on October 25, 2024.
  • Fattey Beer Co., - Lancaster Partner — Bronze level sponsor in 2024
  • John & Mary's Restaurant Partner — Bronze level sponsor in 2024
  • Lantrax Partner — Platinum level sponsor in 2024
  • Mini Club of WNY Partner — Organized and conducted Mini Cooper parades in the Stony Brook/Quail Run neighborhood in 2022 and 2023.
  • Mini Cooper Club of WNY Partner — Collaborated with the organization during the holiday lights event in 2023
  • P.U.N.T. Pediatric Cancer Collaborative Partner — Recipient of donations raised through the Stony Brook Legendary Lights display.
  • P.U.N.T. Pediatric Cancer Collaborative Partner — Recipient of the 2023 donation selected through a community vote.
  • Peter Cimino Partner — Collaborated with photographer and videographer Peter Cimino to produce drone videos of the light displays.
  • Ripa’s Partner — Silver level sponsor in 2024
  • Ronny's Pizza Partner — Silver level sponsor in 2024
  • Scranton’s Thruway Builders Supply Partner — Silver level sponsor in 2024
  • Squeeze Juicery Inc. Partner — Gold level sponsor in 2024
  • Studio M Hair Design Partner — Silver level sponsor in 2024
  • Teamsters Local Union No. 264 Partner — Silver level sponsor in 2024
  • The Olive Tree Partner — Silver level sponsor in 2024
  • Tri-R Mechanical Services Inc. Partner — Bronze level sponsor in 2024
  • WNY Thrive Partner — Bronze level sponsor in 2024
  • Western New York Full Moon Run Group Partner — Collaborated with or hosted the Western New York Full Moon Run Group during 2022 events
  • local to Western New York child-centric charities Partner — Receives donations from Stony Brook Legendary Lights; selected annually as beneficiaries of the holiday lights fundraising campaign.
strategies · 3

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Community-Driven Grantmaking Through Democratic Voting
    methodology: community-driven grantmaking
    By involving the community in selecting donation recipients through a neighborhood-wide vote, the organization increases local ownership and engagement, because participatory decision-making strengthens trust and collective responsibility.
  • Community-Engaged Fundraising via Holiday Lights
    methodology: community-engaged fundraising
    By hosting a community-wide holiday lights display, the organization attracts public visitors and encourages voluntary donations for local child-centric charities, because shared festive experiences create emotional resonance and increase generosity.
  • Merchandise-Driven Fundraising Partnerships
    methodology: merchandise-driven fundraising
    By partnering with a merchandise vendor to sell special edition items, the organization generates sustained donations for youth organizations beyond event-day giving, because branded products extend reach and offer tangible ways to support the cause.