It’s a busy month for us as school kicks off and we get ready for our fall events and the start of Bills season with the Bills 50/50 raffle. Read more in our monthly newsletter.
Thank You to the Buffalo Bills!
We wanted to congratulate our beloved Buffalo Bills on an amazing season! This team has given hope to so many this year, including the Matt Urban Center and the clients we serve. We also want to give a special shout-out to the following Bills players for their acts of generosity during the holiday season:
Matt Barkley and his family made a $10,000 donation to our Hope House women and children’s shelter to make Christmas brighter for our residents (their second donation in 2020!) Matt also teamed up with local apparel company Buf on Weck to sell Buffalo Renegade shirts and hoodies, with part of the proceeds benefitting our organization.
Josh Norman and his Starz 24 Foundation donated blankets, socks, hats, gloves, hand sanitizer and hand warmers to our Homeless Outreach team to help take care of their clients during the cold winter months.
Micah Hyde’s IMagINe For Youth Foundation’s Kicks for Kids initiative donated 25 backpacks filled with Nike Sneakers, Nike Shorts, candy and Buffalo Bills gear to the children in our youth after-school program and those staying at our Hope House shelter.
The Bills’ Women’s Association also provided funds for a beautiful catered holiday meal for our Hope House residents and staff to enjoy together to celebrate the season.
We’re so grateful to have a hometown team that not only plays with tremendous heart, but also keeps our community close to its heart. We’re always rooting for them. GO BILLS!
MUC Staff Show Their Buffalo Bills Spirit
Today was Buffalo Bills spirit day at MUC! Our staff came all decked out in their fan gear to show our community and team how much we love the best squad in the AFC (and NFL), and how excited we are for the game this weekend. Sending lots of love and good vibes to the team that has sent so much love to us. GO BILLS!!!!!
Barkley Family Shows Their Love for Children at Hope House
Even though he’s quarantined at his home in California, Buffalo Bills quarterback Matt Barkley and his family still have families in Buffalo on their minds and in their hearts.
Last week Barkley and his wife, Brittany, reached out to the Matt Urban Center and generously offered a $10,000 donation to support the 25 children and mothers who are currently quarantined at our Hope House homeless shelter.
In 2019, the Barkley’s visited Hope House and participated in an Easter Egg hunt with the families who live there. That experience still resonates with them a year later, and as the COVID-19 pandemic swept through, they had those families on their minds. They specifically requested that their donation be spent on the needs of the children living at Hope House, to make life a little better for them during tough times.
“Knowing that they’re quarantined like everyone else, but that there’s 25 kids running around in this confined space, the moms are probably going crazy, I can’t even imagine,” Barkley said. “Anything that we can do to help, whether it’s games, puzzles, an iPad or two, anything to keep those kids busy, arts and crafts, anything that can go immediately towards this COVID-19 relief is what we wanted.”
Barkley recently spoke about his donation to the Hope House on One Bills Live. You can listen to his interview here.
Our staff at the Matt Urban Center are incredibly thankful to the Barkley family for supporting our clients during this time.
Thank you, Matt and Brittany, for your amazing generosity!
Join Matt Barkley in Giving Back
You can team up with Matt Barkley and take action to help those who need it right now.
Our agency’s programs and services support families living on Buffalo’s East Side. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we need your help now more than ever.
Please consider helping the Barkley’s donation go even further by making your own donation to the Matt Urban Center. Together we can help more Buffalo families get back on their feet.
MUC Awarded Grant from Buffalo Bills
We have been incredibly fortunate to have the ongoing support of our friends at the Buffalo Bills throughout the years. This week we learned that the Buffalo Bills Player Leadership Council awarded our Youth Department a grant through the Buffalo Bills Social Justice Fund to support our Achieving Success After School Program. We could not be more thankful for this organization’s generosity toward our agency and the families we serve! Go Bills!
Celebrating the Season with the Buffalo Bills
Our Youth Department was invited by the Buffalo Bills to participate in the Festival of Lights at the Hamburg Fairgrounds. The students were fed dinner, received gift bags, and had the opportunity to meet the players and get their autographs. They also had the chance to explore the festival, enjoying the rides and the outdoor light displays.
Our relationship with the Buffalo Bills continues to develop and expand, providing new opportunities for the children we serve. Thank you to the Buffalo Bills for their generosity this holiday season!
Thank you, Buffalo Bills!
We want to give a shoutout to our friends at the Buffalo Bills for their generosity!
Last month, children in our afterschool program got a surprise visit from several Bills players at the Hope Center. Patrick Demarco, Keith Towbridge, Eddie Yarbrough and Jerry Hughes came by to hang out with the youth, participating in different stations including slime making, face painting, Bills canvas painting, 3-point shooting and board games. The players also took photos with the youth and signed backpacks for them.
We were honored to be recognized by the Buffalo Bills as the One Buffalo Organization of the Game at their October matchup against the New England Patriots! Bills veteran defensive end Jerry Hughes presented members from our Youth Department with a game ball.
Thank you to our friends at the Buffalo Bills for going above and beyond for our organization and our community!