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Buffalonia 2019!

Join us for our fourth annual Buffalonia celebration at Buffalo Iron Works and party in support of a great cause!

The Matt Urban Center has been serving the East Side of Buffalo for over 40 years with the mission of providing programs that revitalize neighborhoods, serve families and change lives.
 
Buffalonia helps support our programs and initiatives that enhance the quality of life for all residents in our diverse community—from children through seniors, and homeowners to the homeless.
 
This year’s event will feature beer and wine, food, raffles, and live music by Tim Britt! Tickets are $30 and can be purchased online or in person at the Matt Urban Center (1081 Broadway) or Buffalo Iron Works (49 Illinois Street). Tickets will also be available at the door for $30.
 
 
 
Questions? Contact Sarah Maurer at smaurer@urbanctr.org or (716) 893-7222 x232.

Thank you to our generous event sponsors!

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Celebrate Dyngus Day with MUC!

Planning on joining in the annual Dyngus Day festivities around Broadway-Fillmore on April 22? Make sure you stop in our Dyngus Day fundraiser party at the Matt Urban Hope Center from 3:00-10:00PM! Admission is $3 and all proceeds benefit the programs we provide in this community throughout the year. #DoGoodOnDyngusDay and come party for a good cause with us!

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Senior Services Workshops with Journeys End

Join The Matt Urban Center and Journey’s End Refugee Services for two FREE workshops on senior services programs. Learn about programs available to help seniors (age 60 and older) stay in their homes and resources for families and caregivers. We’ll be sharing information on programs including HEAP, Medicaid, SNAP, Meals on Wheels, and more.
Date: Thursday, April 25
Time: 11:00AM – 12:00PM & 5:30-6:30PM
Location: 1081 Broadway, Buffalo, NY 14212
We will have Somali, Bengali, and Spanish interpreters present to assist our neighbors from those communities. Come learn more about the programs our Senior Services Department offers! For more information, contact Michelle Holler at mholler@jersbuffalo.org .
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Support the Hope Runners Team!

Our dear friend, musician, and longtime supporter, Harvey Brice, will once again be channeling one of his hobbies into a fundraising effort for the Matt Urban Center! Last year, Harvey ran a half marathon and with the help of friends and family, raised over $1500 for our agency’s homeless outreach efforts.

This year, Harvey is adding some manpower and has launched the Penny Lane Cafe Hope Runners. This team has entered to participate in the Buffalo Marathon on May 26, 2019 with the goal of raising $3,000 to support our programs via CrowdRise.

The team will kick off its fundraising efforts with a launch event on Sunday, April 14 from 12:00-3:00pm at Penny Lane Café in Clarence. The event will feature food and cash bar, speakers, basket raffle, marathon trivia quiz, sign-up table and T-shirt sales. The team is also offering any affiliated businesses and associations the opportunity to set up a table at the event to enlist members, sell product or simply speak and share information. Click here to see the event page on Facebook.

The fundraiser event is being sponsored by Anne Valby and the Penny Lane Café. StrideLive, a BETA running application for IOS, will be supplying team members technology for their training and safety and communication features on the day of the race.

Stay tuned to our Facebook page for more updates on how you can support the Hope Runners!

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City of Buffalo Annual Action Plan Meeting

The City of Buffalo will host a community meeting at the Matt Urban Center, 1081 Broadway, on March 14, 2019 from 6:00-7:30pm to gather input from community residents to inform its Annual Action Plan.

Residents are invited to share their thoughts on neighborhood needs and target areas. This will inform how the City allocates funds from the following entitlement programs provided by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD):

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG): Benefits low-income households and neighborhoods by providing funds to repair homes, demolish abandoned properties, improve public facilities such as parks and recreation centers, repave streets and fix sidewalks, promote economic development, and provide human services.

 HOME Investment Partnership (HOME): Assists with the construction or renovation of housing for low-income homebuyers and renters.

Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG): Addresses the needs of the homeless through street outreach, emergency shelter, prevention, and rapid re-housing activities.

Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA): Provides rental assistance and supportive services to persons with HIV/AIDS and their families.

For more information on the meeting or if special accommodations are required, contact the Mayor’s Office of Strategic Planning at 851-6578 or HUDAdministrator@city-buffalo.com. Burmese, Arabic, Nepali, and Karen speakers MUST RSVP for translation services.

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Save the Date: Hearts for Hope

Join the Matt Urban Center for this celebration of Hope Givers in our community! The event will recognize three compassionate individuals who have contributed to our mission to serve those in need over the past year. The evening will include drinks, food, and live music, with proceeds from ticket sales benefiting the Matt Urban Hope Center and the clients they serve.
2018 Hope Giver Honorees
Officer Dave Zarbo, NFTA
Derek Malke, Alanerek, LLC
Kerri Howell, Wear n’ Share
Joyelle Tedeschi & Karen Carman, Founders of Hope Services
Monday, February 11, 2019
5:30-7:30 p.m.
Buffalo Iron Works, 49 Illinois Street
Tickets are $40 and can be purchased here or at the door.
Interested in becoming an event sponsor? Contact Sarah Maurer, Development Coordinator, at smaurer@urbanctr.org or (716) 893-7222 x232.
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NFTA Presents Sounds of the Season for Noteworthy Cause

On Friday, December 14, the NFTA will kick off its holiday Sounds of the Season program at 8:30 a.m. in the MTC terminal with a unique entertainment extravaganza presented by Akron High School’s marching band.

There will be a brief presentation at 10:00AM  in support of this year’s “noteworthy cause” that will include representatives from the NFTA, Buffalo Public Schools, the Food Bank of WNY, and the Matt Urban Hope Center. The event will culminate with a special musical performance by the Buffalo Academy of Visual and Performing Arts and a complementary hot chocolate reception.

The Sounds of the Season lunchtime musical performances at 181 Ellicott Street will continue throughout the week of December 17-21 at 11:30 a.m. each day. Guests are invited to bring a can of soup or a new pair of socks to donate to the Matt Urban Hope Center or the Food Bank of WNY.

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2018 Santas of Swig Homebrewing Fundraiser

Attention, lovers of good beer! Next month, the Sultans of Swig will host their 4th annual Santas of Swig homebrewing competition and fundraiser to benefit the Matt Urban Hope Center. Over 20 Homebrewers have donated their beers to help raise money and awareness for our organization.
Where: Buffalo Iron Works
When: Saturday, December 1
Time: 1:00-4:00 p.m.
Tickets: $20
Cost of admission allows you to sample 20 different beers and cast your vote for the best one! There will also be basket raffles with products from local breweries. Presale tickets are available through the Santas of Swig website or at the door.
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First Time Homebuyer Orientation @ MUC

 

The Buffalo Urban League, in partnership with the City of Buffalo, Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency, and Evans Bank, will host a first time homebuyer orientation at the Matt Urban Center on Thursday, December 13 from 6:00-7:00 p.m.

The class will include an overview of the home buying process, how to apply for a mortgage, tax benefits, credit repair and counseling, budgeting and more.

The class is free and open to the public, but you must register by calling (716) 250-2418. Please notify organizers in advance if you require special accommodations.

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Trunk or Treat With Us!

Join the Matt Urban Center for our annual Halloween celebration! We’ll have “trunk-or-treating” in the Central Terminal lot and lots of fun activities at the Hope Center, including face painting, mask making, cider and doughnuts.
Date: Thursday, October 25
Time: 5:00-7:00 p.m.
Place: 385 Paderewski Drive
To register your car, contact Danyel Sease at (716) 893-7222 x403.
To volunteer or make a donation, contact Sarah Maurer at (716) 893-7222 x232.