John R. Oishei Foundation awards $400,000 to Jericho Road Vive Shelter

Grant supports capital campaign for new Main Street Vive Shelter

Jericho Road Vive Shelter announced it was awarded $400,000 by the John R. Oishei Foundation. The Oishei Foundation grant to “A Path to Hope: The Campaign For Jericho Road Vive Shelter” will support Jericho Road in its effort to raise $6 million for the new Main Street location. 

“We are so grateful for the generous support of the Oishei Foundation,” said Magdalena Nichols, chief operating officer, Jericho Road Community Health Center. “The need for shelters like the Scott Bieler Foundation Vive Shelter continues to grow with greater numbers of asylum-seekers arriving in our state this year and many more expected in the coming months.” 

A press release stated, “Vive Shelter is the largest shelter in the United States for asylum-seekers. Funding the capital campaign will allow the shelter to continue its long-standing history of providing safe refuge for those fleeing persecution and other desperate conditions from across the world. The new 1500 Main St. property will undergo renovations to create a more efficient infrastructure to meet the need for a more conducive and trauma-informed space for those served by Vive.

“Vive’s residents are a mix of individuals and families passing through on their way to Canada (short-term residents), and those who wish to make an asylum claim in the United States (long-term residents). Vive also serves immigrant survivors of human trafficking and immigrant survivors of intimate partner violence.”

Oishei Foundation Senior Vice President for Programs Lawrence H. Cook II said, “Jericho Road Vive has consistently demonstrated their commitment and expertise in supporting immigrant communities and asylees who have overcome unimaginable challenges to arrive here. The Oishei Foundation is proud to support the Jericho Road Vive Shelter and its new location on Main Street that will better serve asylum-seekers from all over the world.”

Campaign co-chairperson Scott Bieler said, “We are incredibly grateful for those who have invested in this project. The impact is remarkable and tangible as we change the trajectory of the lives of those who seek asylum in our city, town and community.”

For more information about the campaign, or to donate, visit www.vive.jrchc.org.

More About Jericho Road

Jericho Road Community Health Center provides wholistic health care for the underserved and marginalized communities in Buffalo and across the world in order to demonstrate the unconditional love of Jesus. Its vision is for Buffalo to become a city with abundant opportunity for the underserved and marginalized to be healthy, educated and whole. Vive was founded in 1984 by members of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious of the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo. In 2015, Vive was acquired by Jericho Road and is now one of Jericho Road's community programs. 

More About the John R. Oishei Foundation

The John R. Oishei Foundation is one of the most comprehensive private foundations in Western New York focusing on a broad range of interrelated issues and offering philanthropic support that goes far beyond funding. Its mission is to enhance the economic vitality and quality of life for the Buffalo Niagara region through grantmaking, leadership, and network building. The Foundation was established in 1940 by John R. Oishei, founder of Trico Products Corp.