Buffalo City Mission kickstarts annual fall campaign

Aims to raise $2.1 million to provide critical programs & services to WNY homeless community.

Press Release

On Tuesday, the Buffalo City Mission announced the launch of its fall fundraising campaign, “One Mission, One Hope.” As a significant annual initiative, the campaign advances the agency’s work in providing critical programs and services for people experiencing homelessness in Buffalo. This year, the City Mission aims to raise $2.1 million for the “One Mission, One Hope” campaign. Donations for the initiative can be made online.

“Each autumn, we are reminded of the remarkable generosity that defines our community and has earned Buffalo its name as the ‘City of Good Neighbors,’ " said Aubrey Calhoun, CEO and executive director of the Buffalo City Mission. "Every donation, no matter how small, plays a vital role in helping us provide lifechanging programs and services. Together, we can empower our neighbors to break the cycle of homelessness and build brighter futures.”

As part of this year’s fall campaign, the City Mission is calling on the community to help raise $2.1 million between Oct, 15 and Dec. 31 – an essential target representing 23% of the organization’s annual operating budget. This critical campaign serves as a cornerstone for funding the City Mission’s ongoing efforts to support the poor and homeless throughout the year. The funds raised will directly sustain the men’s and women’s ministries, allowing the agency to continue offering vital services, including: 

√ Recuperative care

√ Emergency shelter and showers

√ Nutritious meals

√ Case management and referrals 

√ Job-skills training and career development

√ HSE, pre-collegiate and certification programs 

√ Substance abuse and recovery services 

“Homelessness remains a serious and ever-growing issue in Western New York," Calhoun said. "With a 37% rise in homelessness – the largest single-year increase in Erie County in over a decade – the need for support has never been greater. Additionally, over 26% of Erie County residents live below the poverty line. Our fall campaign offers a vital opportunity to raise the funds needed to sustain the programs and services that make a difference in the lives of everyone who seeks our help.”

Last year, the City Mission served 152,512 meals and provided 76,657 safe nights of sleep at the shelter. As the region’s largest homeless shelter, the organization stands unwavering in its role as a center of hope, restoration and support, working alongside the community to serve those in need.

To volunteer or learn how to help a neighbor find hope, please contact us at 716-854-8181, ext. 419, or visit buffalocitymission.org to make a donation toward the fall campaign.

More about the 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 the new Alfiero Family Center of Hope and Promise and a Women and Children’s Shelter (Cornerstone Manor), along with the Dick Road thrift store to serve the Western New York community. For more information, visit www.buffalocitymission.org or call 716-854-8181. Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BuffaloCityMission, Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buffalocitymission/ and X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/CityMission.