North Tonawanda foundation announces $500,000 commitment to Buffalo City Mission

Donation will help fund East Hill Foundation recuperative care unit within ongoing facility construction of one-stop community center

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

On Thursday, the E & W G Foundation, a subsidiary of the East Hill Foundation, announced a $500,000 commitment to support construction for the recuperative care unit in the new Buffalo City Mission Community Center at 100 E. Tupper St. The new unit will be named the East Hill Foundation recuperative care unit, and will be housed on the second floor of the new community center.

“Today’s incredible donation from the foundation will help us build a first-of-its-kind, the East Hill Foundation recuperative care unit in Western New York,” said Stuart Harper, CEO and executive director of the Buffalo City Mission. “For many poor and homeless in our community, the journey after the hospital does not end. The foundation’s generosity will help ensure that these individuals can receive the care they deserve on their road to recovery and restoration.”

“Our foundation is honored to support the City Mission in their work to rehabilitate and renew lives,” said Kenneth Dulian, executive director of the foundation. “Together with the East Hill Foundation, we share the Mission’s history of helping others by supporting everyone in need with the same standards of dignity, respect, and compassion. We hope that today’s support will help the Mission to further advance its meaningful and tireless work for our community’s homeless.”

A press release explained, “The homeless and poor are especially vulnerable after a hospitalization, with nowhere to go after discharge. In a bold move of compassion, the East Hill Foundation recuperative care unit at the Buffalo City Mission will be the first of its kind in Western New York. By leasing bed space to area hospitals, the City Mission will partner with health care providers to deliver a safe and healthy environment for local homeless patients who need further wellness care to fully recover after hospital discharge.”

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 $12.8 million of a target $15 million has been committed or is in process – all through the City Mission’s “Next Century Capital Campaign.”

That initiative is now is $2.2 million from its goal. To learn more about the campaign and how to donate, visit nextcenturycampaign.org.

About Buffalo City Mission

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. The City Mission 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 or call 716-854-8181. Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BuffaloCityMission and on Twitter https://twitter.com/CityMission.

About East Hill Foundation

East Hill Foundation is a privately funded family foundation, which was founded in 1986. It identifies and funds innovative, charitable projects designed to enhance the quality of life of the residents of Western New York, primarily in Erie and Niagara counties. For additional information, visit www.easthillfdn.org or call 716-204-0204.