Youth-driven initiative awards $70,000 to local organizations

HOPE Buffalo Awards innovative partnerships to promote optimal teen health in Buffalo 

HOPE Buffalo has awarded 23 local 501(c)(3) organizations seed funding totaling $70,000 for the 2021 year.

HOPE Buffalo, a project of Cicatelli Associates Inc., is a youth- and community-driven initiative that engages community-based organizations and community members, including youth, in designing and implementing strategies to promote optimal teen health and reduce teen pregnancy and STIs. Each year, HOPE Buffalo provides funding to select community-based organizations that promote positive youth development, engagement and adolescent health in the Buffalo community. A list of the 23 innovative partners can be found here.

As of today, HOPE Buffalo has awarded nearly $140,000 to over 50 traditional and nontraditional youth-serving organizations that promote positive early life development, engagement, and adolescent health in the Buffalo community.

Louis Dangelo, project manager of HOPE Buffalo, said, “The success of HOPE Buffalo and its partners are rooted in innovation. Each year, since 2017, we have looked for partnerships with people and organizations with the goal of optimizing teen health in our community. The projects selected this year have a focus on centering youth voice and action, addressing the social determinants of health, providing evidence-informed programming, supportive services and linking youth to the services and support they need.”

Due to COVID-19, this year’s applicants submitted proposals online, which were reviewed by CAI’s subject matter experts. Applicants were encouraged to be creative, think outside the box, and propose activities that promote optimal teen health.

HOPE Buffalo and its partner organizations are calling on teens, guardians of teens, educators, and the community to “Take the Pledge for Healthy Teens.” HOPE Buffalo values​ health,​ opportunity, prevention and education for teens.

For additional information visit http://www.hopebuffalo.org/.

CAI is online at www.caiglobal.org.