Delaware North announces $500,000 commitment to Buffalo City Mission

Donation will help fund Delaware North Opportunity Center within ongoing facility construction of One-Stop Community Center

Scheduled to open in 2020, the $15 million center will provide community and preventative services, emergency shelter, transitional housing and recuperative care for the homeless

Delaware North today announced a $500,000 commitment to support construction for the education center in the new Buffalo City Mission Community Center at 100 E. Tupper St. The center will be named the Delaware North Opportunity Center.

“We are truly blessed and honored by this extraordinary gift,” said Stuart Harper, CEO and executive director of the Buffalo City Mission. “Our new education center will provide residents with new pathways for learning and career development opportunities. Delaware North’s generosity will help ensure that our residents have access to the resources that fuel their journey to new beginnings.”

“Delaware North is proud to support the Buffalo City Mission’s inspirational work for our neighbors with the greatest needs,” said Lou Jacobs, Co-CEO of Delaware North, “Buffalo is at its best when our community comes together for the betterment of all, which is certainly the case with the new City Mission facility. We hope that the Opportunity Center will provide meaningful experiences that enrich lives and make enduring impacts.”

"Today represents so much about what is great about our Western New York community," said New York State Sen. Timothy M. Kennedy. "As we look ahead into next year, the opening of the Buffalo City Mission's new Community Center symbolizes a new day for supporting every neighbor in need. Delaware North's investment today helps to ensure that this support can be anchored by education and opportunity for all.”

The announcement was part of a ceremonial press event held at the Buffalo City Mission.

Scheduled to open in 2020, the 75,000-square-foot flagship Community Center will provide preventative services on the front end to decrease the percentage of homelessness year-over-year for those who are on the brink of homelessness. It will also deliver more complete care to individuals who already experience homelessness. Notable features will include space for social service agencies, case management, mental health services, medical care, job training, basic family services, legal services, food and clothing.

The current Buffalo City Mission will remain open throughout the construction process.

The building is part of the City Mission’s vision moving into the next century to provide services that help prevent and decrease homelessness in the community. Today, approximately $13.3 million of a target $15 million has been committed or is in process – all through the City Mission’s “Next Century Capital Campaign.”

The “Next Century Capital Campaign” now is $1.7 million from its goal. To learn more about the campaign and how to donate, visit nextcenturycampaign.org.

The Buffalo City Mission, founded in 1917, is a nonprofit organization providing preventative, emergency, and transitional housing programs to thousands of people who are homeless and impoverished every year. It includes a women and children’s shelter (Cornerstone Manor), the men’s community center, and the Dick Road thrift store to serve the Western New York community. For more information, visit buffalocitymission.org, call 716-854-8181, or visit on social media (Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BuffaloCityMission, Twitter: https://twitter.com/CityMission).

Delaware North is one of the largest privately held hospitality companies in the world. Founded in 1915 and owned by the Jacobs family for more than 100 years, Delaware North has global operations at high-profile places such as sports and entertainment venues, national and state parks, destination resorts and restaurants, airports and regional casinos. Its 55,000 employee associates work to create special experiences one guest at a time in serving more than a half-billion guests annually.

Delaware North operates in the sports, travel hospitality, restaurant and catering, parks, resorts, gaming, and specialty retail industries and has annual revenue of about $3 billion.

Learn more about Delaware North at www.DelawareNorth.com.