1081 Broadway Buffalo, NY 14212 | (716) 893-7222 | Fax (716) 893-3279 | info@urbanctr.org
Job Description: The Executive Director will provide leadership and vision, articulate and promote the organization’s mission, develop sufficient resources for the financial health of the agency, and position the agency to meet the needs of clients and community.
Click the link above for full listing. Please submit cover letter and resume to EDSearch@urbanctr.org by September 16, 2020.
We’re excited to be kicking off the month of August by re-opening our Food Pantry at the Matt Urban Hope Center!
The pantry will re-open on Tuesday, August 4 and will be open weekly on Tuesdays from 11:30AM to 3:30PM.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, pantry clients will be served outside in front of the main entrance at 385 Paderewski. Clients will be asked to provide their name, address and phone number. Bags will be pre-packed, so client choice of some items may be limited.
Please contact Cherise Carson, Hope Center Coordinator, at 716-893-7222 x329 for more information.
Job Description: The Asset Management AmeriCorps Service Member will work with housing staff to alleviate the pressure caused by COVID. Safe and affordable housing is more important than ever and the service member’s role in assisting with property management and asset management activities is essential as the Housing & Community development Department and the Matt Urban Center continue their essential work for the community.
Click the link above for full listing. Please submit cover letter and resume to Maya Shermer, Housing Director, at mshermer@urbanctr.org.
We’re excited to release our 2019 Annual Report to the Community!
Our agency closed out 2019 having served over 19,000 residents of the City of Buffalo’s East Side and surrounding towns through a variety of human service programs – whether they were homeless clients or homeowners in our neighborhoods, students in local schools or senior citizens. That number alone speaks to the tremendous impact of our agency’s diverse programs and the tireless dedication of the staff who report to work here every day. We strive every day, and every year, to fulfill the simple mission of serving individuals and families in need.
Here are just SOME of our programs’ 2019 accomplishments:
Click here to see the full report.
Job Description: The Matt Urban Center’s Hope House shelter for women & children is seeking a full time receptionist to manage visitors to the shelter, phone inquiries, and other duties as needed. This employee must respect and maintain residents’ rights and confidentiality, and will demonstrate a caring positive attitude toward all residents, staff, guests and services.
Click the link above for full listing. Please submit cover letter and resume to Christal Guthrie, Director of Homeless Services, at cguthrie@urbanctr.org.
Our hardworking Homeless Outreach team’s efforts earned some well-deserved media recognition this month!
On January 22, Mayor Byron Brown and officials from Norstar Development announced that demolition would commence on the long vacant Shoreline Apartments complex on Niagara Street. Our Homeless Outreach team was tasked with working with local police to ensure the safety of individuals who might be staying in these buildings and getting them connected to the services they need. They began sweeps prior to demolition starting, and will continue them weekly until the process is completed this summer. Read the full story here.
On January 28, The Buffalo News commemorated the one-year anniversary of Larry Bierl’s death due to exposure with an article summarizing his impact on the Williamsville community, the pervasiveness of homelessness throughout our region (not just in the city), and how agencies like the Matt Urban Center and our partners are providing support to those living on the streets. The article quoted our Homeless Outreach Team lead, Skylar Diamond, in discussing local agencies’ response to Mr. Bierl’s death and how efforts have evolved in the past year. “We’ve definitely started working on positive changes in Larry’s honor,” Diamond said. Read the full story here.
With the harsh winter season looming and an ever-growing need for supplies to serve Buffalo’s most vulnerable residents, the Matt Urban Center is participating in #GivingTuesday – a global day of giving coming on the heels of Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
The Matt Urban Center is a community based organization that has anchored the Broadway Fillmore neighborhood for over 40 years with the mission of providing programs that revitalize neighborhoods, serve families and change lives. The agency serves over 20,000 clients annually, from youth to seniors and homeless individuals to homeowners.
For the past 10 years, the agency’s Hope Center has been a one-stop resource center for low-income residents to receive assistance with everything from housing assistance to benefits screening, financial wellness education, computer classes, job training, clothing donations, and personal essentials and food pantries. The Matt Urban Hope Center is also home to the Homeless Outreach team, which works tirelessly to connect homeless individuals living on the street with housing, food, clothing and healthcare. This team works in tandem with the agency’s permanent supportive housing team, which partners with local landlords to secure a safe home for our clients, and our Hope House shelter, which provides temporary haven for women and children experiencing homelessness.
The Matt Urban Center’s staff has helped countless individuals to find stable, secure housing and provide them the additional supports to get back on their feet. One client was a homeless veteran suffering from mental illness and addiction issues, who had been in and out of incarceration. Our team helped him to find a safe place to stay and wraparound case management to help him tackle his health hurdles and maintain his housing.
Another client was a mother of two who was struggling with an autoimmune disease, an abusive relationship, and loss of employment. She arrived at our Hope House shelter feeling completely defeated, but our staff quickly got her on the path to searching for housing and a primary care physician, as well as securing clothing and school materials for her daughter. The team helped her find an apartment and the client was able to enroll in a Medical Coding Program to eventually find a job and get back on her feet.
In order to continue fighting for Buffalo’s most underserved, our agency relies on the generosity of local donors to continue our programs. This #GivingTuesday, we’re calling on our City of Good Neighbors to help us care for those most in need by making a donation to the Matt Urban Center. Monetary donations can be made online or via mail to Matt Urban Center, 1081 Broadway, Buffalo, NY 14212. A link to our donation page can be found at http://urbanctr.org/contact-us/donate-to-muc/.
Our Hope Services team also welcomes donations of clothing and personal essentials for their homeless clients. A donation wish list can be found at http://urbanctr.org/hope-services/donation-requests/.
For more information on giving to the Matt Urban Center on #GivingTuesday, contact Sarah Maurer, Development Coordinator, at (716) 893-7222 x232 or smaurer@urbanctr.org.
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The Lt. Col. Matt Urban Human Services Center of WNY is a multi-purpose community center located on the East Side of Buffalo. It is our mission to provide programs that revitalize neighborhoods, serve families, and change lives.
Learn more at www.urbanctr.org.