Tag: Hope House

Posted on

A Home for the Holidays at Hope House

In a year where the COVID-19 pandemic has forced many of us to stay close to home, we may have taken for granted what a luxury it is to have a safe home to retreat to.

Our Matt Urban Center housing team recently handed the keys to our very first tenants at Hope House, our newly renovated apartment complex located in the former P.S. 57 building on Sears Street. Our partners at Best Self Behavioral Health helped us in securing a safe, warm, affordable home for Christina and her 10 year-old daughter, Na’zia.

Christina had been patiently waiting for those keys for a long time. The past two years have been a rough road for her as she worked to overcome substance abuse and the hardships it brought to her and Na’zia’s lives.

“I’ve always been a drinker, but then I started indulging in cocaine,” she said. “I did that for about a year and a half, and I lost everything – my job, my car, and my home.”

Christina got into a 28-day rehab program at the Stutzman Addiction Treatment Center, but when the program concluded, she knew she wasn’t ready to step out on her own yet. She made her way to Best Self’s Lighthouse Women’s Residence to continue her recovery. Upon hearing from her counselor that she was a candidate for tenancy at Hope House, she requested to extend her stay at Lighthouse while waiting for renovations to be completed. She knew there were so few options for affordable housing where she and her daughter could go and truly feel safe.

“They asked if I wanted to leave and wait, but I didn’t want to jeopardize my recovery being somewhere else, and there’s a lack of places for women to go safely with their children,” Christina said. “It was a journey being optimistic, but I believe in God and he kept telling me if you just wait, it will be so worth it. I would do it all over again. I would wait another 6 months if I had to.”

Now Christina has a bright, modernly furnished apartment with large windows and on-site laundry facilities. She’s close to the Broadway Market, the post office, and other businesses where she can run her errands. More importantly, she has access to support from the Best Self Behavioral Health staff who work in the building when she needs it. And for the first time in two years – since they lost their home – Na’zia finally has her own room and privacy again.

“I’m so grateful for this place,” Christina said. “To be able to come somewhere secure, safe, affordable, and nice on top of everything else. I was expecting the bare minimum, but it’s so beautiful and modern and innovative with the high ceilings and the light fixtures. This is my sanctuary.”

Christina and Na’zia are looking forward to decorating their new home for the holidays with Christina’s mother, and continuing to work on their DIY projects together. The enjoy spending time together making jewelry and finding new ideas from online tutorials. Christina’s also looking forward to having a quiet space to write her poetry.

“I’m really into my NA book now, I do a lot of meetings,” she said. “I like to help other women who have been through the same things that I have. I’m just looking forward to working with my peers here to sustain my sobriety and just do my part, being responsible and living life on life’s terms. I want to be able to sit with my emotions, deal with my problems as they occur, keep my daughter happy. I really just want to do my part and evolve.”

Below is a poem Christina wrote, inspired by her new home at Hope House:

Hope is home after a long day of confusion

Where your reality is yours without any illusion

Your family is safe and call this place home

Where you’ll be content even when you are alone

This place is comfortable and affordable too

Within the decisions you make, you’ll find the hidden truth

That this is the place that you can be you

Where tenants are happy and have found hope here, too!

For those who need housing assistance and want to learn more about applying for an apartment at Hope House, contact Best Self Behavioral Health at 716-449-3372.

Keep an eye on our website and Matt Urban Center social media for more stories and updates from Hope House!

Posted on

Donate to Hope House on Giving Tuesday

It’s difficult to imagine spending the holiday season in a homeless shelter, but for many of our clients, that will be their reality this year.
We’re participating in #GivingTuesday on December 1 to try to make the holidays a little brighter for those staying at the Matt Urban Hope House emergency shelter. Donations will be used to purchase essential items and holiday gifts for the women and their children.
Please consider making your #GivingTuesday donation at www.urbanctr.org/donate-to-muc
Posted on

Cookies for a Cause To Benefit Matt Urban Center

We’re SO excited that Cookies for a Cause will still be taking place this year (in pandemic-safe fashion, of course), thanks to the determination of our event organizer, Rebecca Decker.

This year’s event has been reimagined as a cookie sale, with all proceeds benefitting the Matt Urban Center. Orders must be submitted by November 28. The online cookie order form can be found here: https://forms.gle/F3sMzXG1KmUKfgoH7

More information and updates can be found on the Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/648458776034419

Posted on

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!
Posted on

Updated COVID-19 Procedures

As our region continues its broader re-opening process, several of our sites and programs have updated their procedures for building entry, client appointments, and general inquiries. Please see below for detailed information by program, to ensure you are following our current safety guidelines and know what to expect when visiting or submitting inquiries to our sites.

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 x214 for more information.

Senior Services – Our Senior Services staff continue to provide case management via phone. We will begin seeing 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 Hope Services director at (917) 717-1400.

Matt Urban Hope Center: 385 Paderewski Drive
Our Hope Center is still closed to the public at this time. Our Hope Center staff anticipate a partial re-opening for food pantry and personal essentials pantry with a tentative start date of July 21. Please continue checking our website and social media for updates on the Hope Center’s re-opening status and procedures. 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 locations are not open to the public at this time. Our Youth Summer Camp program will be opening for registered participants on July 6 under safe procedures. Please click HERE for more information about summer camp hours and registration.

Our youth locations will be participating in the BPS Summer Lunch program as pick-up sites. Lunches will be available for pick-up from 12pm- 1pm Monday- Friday, for children ages 18 and under. Lunch cannot be eaten on site – it must be taken home. One lunch per child will be given and children must be present in order to receive the lunch.

Our food pantry at the T.J. Dulski Center (129 Lewis St.) will continue to serve clients outside in the rear of the building. The food pantry is open Wednesdays from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

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

Posted on

Employment Opportunity: Community Health Worker

Now Hiring: Community Health Worker

Job Description: The Community Health Worker has the responsibility to cover all duties on the floor while building trusting relationships with clients. CHW’s are responsible for eliminating barriers and advocating for additional supports along the way. The effectiveness of CHWs lies in their ability to gain access to hard-to-reach individuals and to patiently coach and support them as they work towards housing stability.

Click the link above for full listing. Please submit cover letter and resume to Christal Guthrie, Director of Homeless Services, at cguthrie@urbanctr.org.

Posted on

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.

Donate Here

Posted on

Amazon Hosts Winter Clothing Drive to Benefit MUC

Our friends at Amazon are generously hosting a winter clothing drive to support clients at our Hope Center and Hope House Shelter. They are currently collecting gently used or new winter apparel such as gloves, hats, coats and boots.

Those interested in donating can find dropboxes at the Amazon (BUF5) location at 4201 Walden Avenue in Lancaster, our main headquarters at 1081 Broadway, Buffalo, or our Hope Center at 385 Paderewski Drive, Buffalo.

Donations are being accepted through January 10, 2020!

Posted on

Chef’s Tour at Hope House

We had a great time meeting with our new chef friends from The Black Sheep, Amy’s Place, and Swan Street Diner to give them a tour of our project at School 57, including the space where our Urban Diner and commercial kitchen will be. They helped us brainstorm how we could develop our Hope Works job training program to better utilize this amazing space. We’re looking forward to an awesome partnership with these fine folks as we build out the kitchen and develop future programming!

Proudly powered by WordPress