BUFFALO, N.Y. — With more snow in the forecast for some of us this weekend, a park in Buffalo with the mission of being a true community space is asking for donations to help our neighbors in need.
Mara Montante is the director of People's Park, a pocket park on Main Street in Buffalo created in 2006, as a way to bring the community together.
"We host educational programs like an outdoor classroom kind of thing, concerts, art exhibits, and of course community gardening," Montante said.
The park is right next to the Tri-Main Building, and while the park is closed for the winter, it's still serving the greater good.
"So we're closed from October to April and we were looking for a way to keep the community involved and engaged in the park during the winter months," Montante said. "We decided to hang up this fence so that anyone who lives, or works, or goes to school in the community around the neighborhood can get something that they need.
"You know, hats, mittens, and gloves are really important when it's cold outside and a lot of people in Buffalo don't have those things, so we thought this was a nice way to stay connected to the community."
Montante says people donate three to four-hundred items a year. Just make sure to put your donations in a Ziploc bag.
"We have to keep it in Ziplocs to stay dry," Montante said. "But people can come if they just have a few items that they're not using anymore and they're still in good condition, they can come and put them on the fence in a Ziploc bag.
"Or if they're at the store and they see some items they think would help someone else, then they can come and just hang them right on the fence. And then, anyone who needs a hat or gloves can stop by and just grab what they need."
If you would like to donate or have a group that wants to do a mitten drive, you can contact People's Park on social media.