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Kicking Off Our Fall Donation Drive!

Since many of our in-person volunteer opportunities have been placed on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re inviting our supporters to team up with their friends, family, and coworkers to participate in a drive to support our essential programs!
With the winter fast approaching, many of our programs serving homeless and low-income individuals and families are working to stock up on supplies needed to keep their clients clothed, warm and fed.
We’re also looking for school supplies for our Community Hub at the T.J. Dulski Center, which will provide daycare and academic support to working families whose children have to attend school remotely.
Please click here for a full list of our donation needs, as well as an option to make a monetary donation.
If you would like to coordinate a drop-off or pick-up, or would like more information, please contact Sarah Maurer, Development Director, at smaurer@urbanctr.org or (716) 893-7222 x232.
Thanks for your ongoing support for our agency and the clients we serve!
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Join Us For Trunk or Treat To-Go!

October is upon us, which means it’s almost time for our annual fall community event at the Buffalo Central Terminal! In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s event will be called “Trunk or Treat To-Go!” and will be a socially distanced walkthrough with procedures in place to ensure that our trick-or-treaters and their families are safe. We will provide bags of candy, take-home creativity kits, refreshments and pumpkins to-go!
Date: Wednesday, October 28 (Rain date: Friday, October 30)
Time: 4:00-6:00 p.m.
Location: Buffalo Central Terminal, 495 Paderewski Drive, Buffalo, NY 14212
*Masks are required to attend this event!*
We welcome volunteers to participate in the event by decorating their vehicles and passing out candy to trick-or-treaters. Those interested can contact Danyel Sease at dsease@urbanctr.org or (716) 893-7222 x403 to register a car for the event.
We are accepting in-kind donations of candy, juice boxes, donut holes, pumpkins, art supplies, and bags for trick-or-treaters. Any donation, at any level, is greatly appreciated and will be publicly recognized. Click here for our sponsorship form.
For more information on the event, contact Sarah Maurer at smaurer@urbanctr.org or (716) 893-7222 ext. 232.
Keep an eye on our Facebook event page for more updates!
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Updated COVID Procedures for All MUC Sites

Please see below for a summary of COVID procedures for each of our MUC locations, updated as of September 28, 2020.

Main Headquarters:  1081 Broadway

Our main headquarters has revised COVID-19 procedures that can be viewed HERE. Please reference this document before entering our facility. See below for more specifics regarding individual program updates:

Housing & Community Development – Our housing department continues to serve residents with all programs, however, all walk-in clients and in-person appointments are on hold until further notice. Residents applying for home repair can continue through the application process via phone, email and mail. We also continue to accept wait list applications for our apartment buildings and serve receivership tenants via phone and email. Tenants may still drop off rent payments at the dropbox in the lobby at 1081 Broadway the Main Headquarter procedures referenced above.  Please call x231 for more information.

Senior Services – Our Senior Services staff continue to provide case management via phone. We will see clients for in-person service at 1081 Broadway by appointment only. Please call our senior services department at x207 for more information.

Weatherization – Our Weatherization staff are returning to work at properties in the community under safe procedures. New and existing clients seeking information or completing an application can do so via phone with our program director by calling x218.

Hope House Shelter: 586 Genesee Street

Our Hope House shelter is still accepting referrals, but our capacity is currently at 50% to maintain a safe distance between residents. We will accept referrals as families depart through the Department of Social Services and 2-1-1. All questions regarding the shelter can be directed to our Shelter Supervisor at (716) 893-7222 x327.

 

Matt Urban Hope Center: 385 Paderewski Drive

Our Hope Center has partially re-opened for food pantry and Urban Diner services only. Our food pantry is open on Tuesdays from 12:00-4:00 p.m. Our Urban Diner is open Monday through Friday from 2:00-5:00 p.m. for grab-and-go meals only. Both pantry and Urban Diner clients will be served at the front entrance of 385 Paderewski Drive. A mask is required for service. Please call x310 with questions.

 

Hope Services 2 – Permanent Supportive Housing: Housing First, Hope Gardens – 58 Oberlin Avenue, HELP Buffalo – I 368 Broadway & II 384 Broadway

Upon entry at Hope Gardens and HELP Buffalo I&II, all staff, service providers and any and all visitors are required to wear a mask, thoroughly sanitize their hands, and have their temperature taken and recorded in a daily log. At this time, both locations are not allowing unauthorized visitors. We have designated areas for deliveries.

The staff at HELP Buffalo I&II and Hope Gardens are currently providing case management with face-to-face visits in our larger open spaces, like conference rooms, where they can ensure 6 ft. distance from one another. Clients and staff are required to wear masks and carefully disinfect the entire area between these visits. Additionally, for Hope Gardens, all common areas remain closed until further notice and our door-to-door, take out style breakfast and dinner service will continue.

Our Housing First Program (scattered site) Case Managers are conducting socially distanced outdoor visits for clients with desperate needs, emergency situations, health concerns, landlord issues, and overall amplified behavioral difficulties.

Lastly, all of the Permanent Supportive Housing Programs are prepared and are hoping to accept new referrals in the fall. Please call (716)893-7222 x530 or x536 for further information on Permanent Supportive Housing programs.

 

Youth & Community Services: 129 Lewis Street & 385 Paderewski Drive

These buildings are closed to the public at this time. Our Community Hub will be opened to registered students in grades K-8, between the hours of 7:00 am and 6:00 p.m. on weekdays. Parents will NOT be allowed in the building.

The food pantry at the T.J. Dulski Center (129 Lewis Street) will continue to serve clients in the rear of the building. Clients are still able to have client’s choice during pantry.  The food pantry is held every Wednesday from 10:30am-2:30pm

Please keep an eye on our website for any updates to our agency’s procedures.

 

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Daemen College Students Paint Mural at Hope Gardens

Our Permanent Supportive Housing department recently collaborated with a group of design students from Daemen College‘s Visual & Performing Arts program and their Professor, Casey Kelly. The group painted a mini-mural in the sanctuary space at our Hope Gardens facility. Due to COVID-19, the group wasn’t able to do the mural for their art in community service project during the Spring semester, but they returned in the Fall ready to complete it! We’re incredibly grateful to have a connection to this institution and these compassionate students!

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Request for Bids – Construction Rehab in Buffalo, NY

The Matt Urban Center is requesting bids for an upcoming project at 103 Sweet Avenue on Buffalo’s East Side. The project seeks to rehab the single family home so that it can be rented to a qualified household. Sealed bids are due Friday, October 2, 2020 at 3:00 pm delivered to 1081 Broadway Buffalo, NY 14212. Additional details and application to bid can be found on our Bid Opportunities page.


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Those Idiots Host VIP Dinner & Livestream Show to Raise Support for MUC

Local band Those Idiots will be hosting an event to benefit the Matt Urban Center! There will be an in-person, VIP Dinner with a limited number of reservations available. Those interested in joining from home can tune into the livestream via Facebook and make a donation through our website.
Date: Saturday, September 19
Time: VIP Dinner at 6:00 PM, Show & Livestream at 7:00PM
Location: The Cave, 71 Military Road, Buffalo
Suggested Donation: $25.00
All proceeds from the event will go to support our programs. Those interested in attending the VIP Dinner in person can contact Jay Hall at (716) 310-2020 to make a reservation. Click HERE to see the Facebook event page with more info.
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Hope Gardens End-of-Summer Luau

Last week, our Permanent Supportive Housing department held their first event at Hope Gardens since the Covid-19 pandemic began in March. Staff put up bright, colorful decorations and the residents enjoyed music, games, delicious BBQ chicken (specially made by Housing First Program Supervisor, Lonnie Patterson) and yummy sides – all while properly socially distancing. Many of the residents said it was the most fun they have had in a long time and that they really needed it. As things progress positively in this pandemic, we hope to gradually hold more in-house events. All of our Permanent Supportive Housing staff had a fun time as well!

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Hope Center Urban Diner Re-Opening

After a long closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are thrilled to announce that our Urban Diner at the Matt Urban Hope Center will be re-opening for to-go operations on Monday, September 21!
All meals will be distributed outside the front entrance of our Hope Center at 385 Paderewski Drive. A mask is required and we will have markers on the sidewalk to assist with social distancing requirements. We encourage families to send one member to pick up on behalf of their household. Distribution of the grab-and-go meals will run Monday through Friday, from 2:00-5:00 p.m. or until meals run out.
Please contact Cherise Carson, Hope Center Coordinator, at 716-893-7222 x329 for more information.
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Donation Spotlight: Cricket Wireless

We’d like to say a huge thank you to Miss Joy Smith and her team from Cricket Wireless at 1105 Broadway for their incredibly generous donation of food items for our Hope Center pantry! The Cricket crew delivered a carload of groceries to our Paderewski location earlier this week. We’re so grateful to have neighboring businesses who give back to our community!