DO GOOD: Run for Water

Let them LOL (Laugh Out Loud) a Buffalo based humanitarian organization has organized a 5k/1 mile run to provide clean water to struggling communities in Sierra Leone, Africa. Accoring to let the LOL's research 40 billion hours per year are spent walking to find water by the people of Sierra Leone and the majority of the water is not safe for drinking, yet they have no choice. Every $5 dollars raised, READ MORE...

$1,087,819

“I get excited on days like today to know that yet another 64 at risk young people in Western New York will get the opportunity to learn and grow their skills while improving Buffalo’s housing stock.  In a federal budget where YouthBuild funding was cut by over 50% this year, this announcement says to me that we continue to do it the right way,” said Western New York Americorps interim Executive Director Kate Sarata when announcing their $1,087,819 grant with Congressman Brian Higgins earlier this week. The program being funded, YouthBuild assists young people obtain their diplomas or GEDs while providing occupational training in the construction industry. READ MORE...

Violence, Crime, and Poverty

Solutions for a Brighter Future.

By Stuart Harper

When contemplating the struggle our city faces with violence, crime and poverty there is ultimately only one way we will ever be able to overcome these challenges. Unfortunately, often times the nature of man drives us from the solution not towards it. Our egos, our politics, our prejudice, our violent history towards one another all drive us further from the solution. Faith in Jesus Christ and us earnestly asking for his intervention in our lives personally and as a community, I believe, is the only solution that will work because his solution will bear none of these maladies. READ MORE...

West Side Stories

International refugees are an vital part of Buffalo’s West Side. Jericho Road Ministries is making a difference.

By Lisa Littlewood

When you walk through the front door of 233 West Ferry Street on Buffalo’s West Side for the first time you might experience a moment of culture shock. Women and men of varying ethnicities-- Burmese, Somali, Burundi, Congolese, Sudanese, Cuban, Ethiopian and Iraqi, to name a few-- crowd into the front room as they wait their turn for assistance from one of several case workers.

     The clients, speaking even more languages than the ethnicities represented, are hoping for help with any number of tasks and issues. One client needs help reading her mail, another needs to set up a doctor’s appointment, another needs help filling out food stamp paperwork and another needs transport and translation for, READ MORE...

United Way Raises Over $13 million

The United Way of Buffalo & Erie County announced Friday that it raised $13,303,633 in pledges for its 2010 Campaign, an increase of $27,118 over the organization’s 2009 Campaign result of $13,276,515. This result marks the organization’s first year-over-year increase since the 2001 Campaign. READ MORE...

Salvation Army Responds

By AnnMarie Taft

The Salvation Army in Japan has just sent updates on our three emergency teams at work. The Japanese Government has recognized The Salvation Army’s work and has given our teams permission to enter the disaster area and use access roads that are closed off to the public.

 The first of the three teams went to Sendai, where about 1,000 meals were served to evacuees. Our mobile emergency canteen prepared hot meals and drinks to give out at the Sendai Salvation Army church.  Another team went to a relief office in the Mito area and unloaded bottles of water, biscuits, blankets, diapers and tissue boxes for distribution to evacuees.  The third team headed to an area where people had been evacuated from the vicinity around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station, but snow and shortage of petrol meant they had to divert to other areas to support evacuees.

 The Salvation Army’s Korea Territory has arranged for the K-Water Corporation to provide 100,000 bottles of water to be sent to Japan – 30,000 bottles by the end of the week, followed by the rest within a short time – and the Korea Disaster Relief Association will be sending 5,000 first-aid kits. Salvationists in Korea are holding a month of prayer for the people of Japan.

In a touching show of solidarity 1,500 young Salvationists in Haiti – who themselves have recent experience of a devastating earthquake – made prayer for Japan a focus of their rally in Fond-des-Nègres on March 11-12.

If you’d like to support The Salvation Army’s Japan relief efforts, you can do so in the following ways:

• Donate online at donate.salvationarmyusa.org
• Call 1-800-SAL-ARMY
• Text the words “Japan” or “Quake” to 80888 to make a $10 donation. (Please ensure that you respond “YES” to the Thank You message you receive.)
• By mail: Send your check, marked “Japan earthquake relief” to

The Salvation Army World Service Office, International Relief Fund, PO Box 630728, Baltimore, MD 21263-0728

The Salvation Army has been at work in Japan since 1895, operating more than 80 centers there, including two hospitals and four children's homes. We have nearly 200 officers, 3,000 members and nearly 1,000 employees already at work in the country. We are a part of Japan's communities and dedicated to their recovery. 



 AnnMarie Taft is the Media and Special Events Coordinator for The Salvation Army-Buffalo Area Services

Junior League of Buffalo Show House

The Buffalo News and the Junior League of Buffalo announce that the Bayliss-Oshei Residence has been selected as the site of the 2011 Decorators’ Show House.  Located at 360 Depew Avenue in Buffalo’s Central Park community, the home sits directly across from Burke’s Green on land that was originally the Lewis J. Bennett Estate.

 Area decorators will be invited to a “Bidding Day” at the home on Friday, November 19^th, where they can begin the process of submitting design proposals for rooms and spaces.  Decorators interested in participating may contact Junior League Headquarters at 884.8865.

 The Bayliss-Oshei Residence will be open for public viewing from April 30 through May 22, 2011.  Advance tickets are $15 and will be available in late November through the Junior League.  A $5 Sneak Peek of the undecorated home will take place on February 5-6, 2011. More information on Show House will made available on the League’s website at www.jlbuffalo.org.

The Bayliss-Oshei Residence will be the 16^th Show House sponsored by The News and the Junior League of Buffalo.  Working collaboratively, Show Houses have yielded proceeds totaling $3,233,000.  As a result, 19 cultural and human service organizations have received significant funding for high impact programs benefiting Buffalo and Erie County.

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Darwin Martin Complex was chosen as the recipient of 2009 Show House proceeds totaling $515,000 for development of the Junior League of Buffalo/Buffalo News Learning Center.

Hunger Hunt Month

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Join the Buffalo City Mission in the fight to help "Stamp Out Hunger".  The need is not hard to see—for hunger’s all around us.  So don’t just sit there - be a part of the experience.  On February 1st the Journey will begin. Every week, points and prizes will be awarded for completed tasks like watching videos, searching websites, doing puzzles, and more.

Each day you visit the site during the 28 days of February, you’ll earn valuable points you can use to win great prizes! Winners will be announced weekly. Runner-up and grand prize winners will be announced the first week of march. Also every dollar donated through “If These Shoes Could Talk" Campaign to help Stamp Out Hunger, the Patrick P. Lee Foundation will match up to 20,000!



$1.84 Million Raised by City Mission

The Buffalo City Mission announced yesterday that the goal for its annual “One Mission, One Hope” fall campaign has been exceeded. Over $1.84 Million dollars has been raised due to the generosity of the community. These critical funds will help sustain programs and services for the region’s homeless. READ MORE...

A Week With The Homeless

Ben Tagg, Director of Steps Ministries in South Buffalo joined Eric Johns of The Buffalo Dream Center on the streets of Buffalo this week, raising awareness in their fight against poverty and homelessness in Buffalo. Johns has  has made this an annual tradition for the lsst 12 years. Ben shares his experience in a special piece for THRiVE!, READ MORE...