Buffalo Sabres Foundation to donate $100,000 to Resource Council of WNY

The Buffalo Sabres announced the Buffalo Sabres Foundation will donate $100,000 to the Resource Council of WNY, which operates the Buffalo Renaissance Foundation Community Center at 347 E. Ferry St., Buffalo. The donation will support staffing and programming at the center.

The community center is located in the neighborhood where a racially motivated mass shooting occurred on May 14. It has become an even bigger resource for residents since that tragic event by serving as one of the key food and supply distribution sites for Tops Friendly Markets in the wake of the Jefferson Avenue store closure.

“We are proud to have been investing in the Resource Council of WNY and Buffalo Renaissance Foundation Community Center since 2015 and remain committed to helping provide access to educational and recreational opportunities at the center in the wake of the heartbreaking tragedy that happened last Saturday,” Buffalo Sabres Foundation President Rich Jureller said. “We need to support our neighbors and be catalysts for change, and this will hopefully be a small part of the healing process as we come together as a community. The Resource Council of WNY’s longstanding goal of bringing stability, hope and inspiration to families they serve is more important now than ever before.”

Since the center opened in 2015, the Buffalo Sabres Foundation has invested $1.2 million in the center and has helped procure grants totaling almost $700,000 from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and the NHL/NHLPA Industry Growth Fund. In addition to monetary assistance, the foundation has led fundraising efforts, garnered support and worked to secure program partners whose contributions expanded the capacity and offerings at the center.

The Resource Council of WNY operates the Buffalo Renaissance Foundation Community Center, which provides after-school education support to youth on Buffalo’s east side, as well as a variety of recreation programs, including swimming instruction and summer camps. The center is often used for family gatherings and includes a computer lab, reading library and gymnasium. Adjacent Perkins Park features a ball hockey rink, basketball courts and flag football field.

For more information on how to help during this time, visit the community resources page at Sabres.com/HelpBuffalo.

The Buffalo Sabres Foundation mission statement is “To identify and support local organizations which share our core objectives: serving children and military personnel, caring for the sick, assisting physically and mentally challenged athletes, and supporting youth hockey initiatives. By utilizing financial resources and community influence, the Buffalo Sabres Foundation assists these organizations and their beneficiaries in realizing their highest potential and succeeding in their endeavors.”