BUFFALO, N.Y. — A nearly $15,000 award is going to help two local programs meet the basic needs of South Buffalo students, and assist those who were recently homeless.
The East Hill Foundation awarded Catholic Charities $14,995 to help support its South Buffalo Promise Zone Neighborhood Closing the Gap program and its Rapid Re-Housing program.
Catholic Charities says most of the money will go towards building a school community needs closet, which will provide students in four South Buffalo-area public schools with basic needs, such as hygiene products and clothes.
The community needs closets will be located within the South Buffalo Promise Zone Neighborhood Closing the Gap program's four Buffalo Public Schools; #67 Discovery School, #72 Lorraine Elementary, #93 Southside Elementary, and #206 South Park High School. The program was created to address the non-academic barriers that students may face.
“Providing a basic needs closet with clothing and personal care items will address some challenges South Buffalo families we work with face day after day," said Julie Lulek, school based services director for Catholic Charities.
Some of the donated funds will also help buy pillows for people who were previously homeless and are in the re-housing program. The re-housing program helps people find housing stability and is also supported by the City of Buffalo.
“And through our re-housing program we want to ensure individuals who were previously homeless own a pillow to lay their head on in their new home," Lulek said.
