urban timesV O L U M E 6 | I S S U E 1 | S P R I N G 2 0 1 5

MATT URBAN HOPE CENTER FUNDERS & PARTNERS

our missionThe Matt Urban Hope Center responds to the needs of the community by hosting family-focused events, informative workshops, free tax preparation, benefits screening, housing and job assistance. We assist individuals who are homeless and those at risk of becoming homeless, families suffering from domestic violence, loss of income, no utilities, and eviction. Additionally, we serve dinner five times per week which is open and free to the community.

infoMATT URBAN HOPE CENTER385 Paderewski DriveBuffalo, NY 14212(716) 893-7222 ext. 310HOPE CENTER HOURSMonday – Friday11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.URBAN DINERBY FRIENDS OF NIGHT PEOPLEDinner Hours:Monday – Friday3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.FOOD PANTRY1st, 2nd & 3rd Tuesdays

1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.Last Saturday

of every month10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

UPCOMING EVENTSNights of ImpactFRIDAY, MARCH 20, 7:00 – 9:00 PMFRIDAY, APRIL 17, 7:00 – 9:00 PMFRIDAY, MAY 15, 7:00 – 9:00 PM

Please join us for a night of dancing, singing, rapping, poetry, and more. All activities and content are family-friendly, so bring the kids! Thank you to DJ Henri Tee for leading these fun-filled nights!

Home Improvement WorkshopTHURSDAY, MARCH 26, 3:00 – 5:00 PM

Join us in the lobby to learn quick and easy do-it-yourself tips for making repairs in your home.

Personal Essentials PantryEVERY LAST THURSDAY OF THE MONTH, 1:30 PM TO 4:30 PM

Easter Dinner CelebrationTHURSDAY, APRIL 2, 3:00 – 5:00 PM

Please join us for a special holiday dinner at the Urban Diner.

Kickboxing Boot Camp FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 8:30 AM - 9:30 AM

$5 donation, call Leonetta to register: 939-7101.

MATT URBAN HOPE CENTER385 PADEREWSKI DRIVE

893-7222, EXT. 310

PLEASE SEE PAGE 2 FOR MORE UPCOMING EVENTS

contentsBlack History Month . . . .2Partner Schedule . . . . . . .2Staff Spotlight . . . . . . . . .3Recipe Corner . . . . . . . . . .3

2 | H E L P T H E H O P E C E N T E R : V O L U N T E E R O R D O N A T E T O D A Y ! 8 9 3 - 7 2 2 2 E X T . 3 1 0

Dyngus Day CelebrationMONDAY, APRIL 6, 3:00 – 11:00 PM

Join us at the Hope Center for our annual celebration of Polish heritage in Buffalo. $3 donation at the door.

MAD DADS Basketball TournamentAPRIL 8-10, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Register with Dwayne Ferguson: 563-1834

Spring Clean Up SATURDAY, APRIL 25, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Help clean up our neighborhood!

Mother’s Day Dinner Celebration FRIDAY, MAY 8, 3:00 – 5:00 PM

We will host a special dinner in the Urban Diner to honor our mothers. Everyone is welcome!

Memorial Day Dinner Celebration FRIDAY, MAY 22, 3:00 – 5:00 PM

Please join us for a special dinner in the Urban Diner to honor all those who died while serving in the armed forces.

Financial Wellness FairTUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2:00 – 6:00 PM

A variety of agencies will be at the Hope Center to provide financial wellness information and services.

UPCOMING EVENTS(CONT ’D)

A BANNER AT THE HOPE CENTER’S CELEBRATION of Black History Month in February spotlighted several possible role models, including Harriet

Tubman, Jackie Robinson, Maya Angelou and Barack and Michelle Obama. Erie County legislator Betty Jean Grant, the event’s guest speaker, suggested one could benefit from emulating any one of them, or all.

“No one of them was born rich,” said Grant, who described growing up in a family of 16 children and going to school in a two-room schoolhouse. “Every person [on the banner] was in our situation. They got educations and they made it out.”

When an audience member asked which of the leaders of African ancestry she would most like to be able to meet, Grant chose Frederick Douglass. He defied the prohibition against slaves learning to read and became a powerful writer, an eloquent orator and one of the world’s most influential abolitionists.

“He fought and made something of himself,” said Grant of Douglass, who published The North Star newspaper in Rochester, New York. “He made something better for all of us.”

Grant graduated from Medaille College and earned her Master’s degree in teaching from Buffalo State. She owns a store, served on the Buffalo Common Council and now represents much of Buffalo in the Erie County legislature.

“I came from a very poor environment, but you know what? I had dreams. I had ambition. I had hope. You must too. It’s going to take you to take advantage of these opportunities.”

PARTNER AGENCIES SCHEDULE

T HESE AGENCIES VISIT THE HOPE CENTER ON A regular basis and provide free services. Take advantage of these programs while they are in

your neighborhood!

AGENCY NAME SCHEDULE FOCUS AREA

Buffalo Employment and Training Center LAST THURSDAY, 12:00-2:00 Employment and Job Training

Buffalo Public Schools WEDNESDAYS, 2:00-4:00 GED Preparation Programs

Community Access Services 3RD THURSDAY, 3:00-4:30 HIV Testing and Services

Fidelis Care 2ND & 4TH THURSDAY, 2:30-4:30 Health Insurance

GBUAHN TUESDAYS, 2:00-3:30 Health Insurance and Services

UB Educational Opportunity Center 1ST TUESDAY, 12:30-2:30 Adult Education and Training Programs

Wellcare FRIDAYS, 3:00-4:30 Health Insurance

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

3L E A R N M O R E A T U R B A N C T R . O R G A N D F O L L O W U S @ M U H O P E C E N T E R |

A NDON TICCO WAS 20 YEARS OLD BEFORE HE began driving a car.

Nemaline myopathy, a rare and non-progressive form of muscular dystrophy, curved his spine. It made him reliant on a ventilator to breathe. Andon assumed that the scooter he needs to go farther than a few steps would be the only vehicle he’d operate. His college roommate at SUNY Brockport had a different kind of MD and his example opened up to Andon a part of the world he had believed was closed to him.

“He had a van. I thought if he could do it, I can do it. Many of my peers growing up had disabilities,” said Andon, who attended elementary school at Buffalo’s PS No. 84. “As an adult, it took the right kind of people to help me realize how it is possible to break down barriers.”

Now Andon is working to be that right kind of person for others as they overcome their challenges. Since May he has been a case manager at the Hope Center and at Help Buffalo, a permanent supportive living facility for men. Andon helps clients to obtain the services they need, including education, public benefits and mental and physical health treatments. During this tax season he is also working as a tax preparer at the Hope Center, saving each person that files potentially $100 or more.

Andon earned his master’s in counseling from Medaille College. He plans one day to establish a private practice. He draws some of his motivation to work on behalf of others from the periods of isolation when he felt that his impairments cut him off from the world.

“It kind of opened me up to the challenges people have, including the people who don’t look like they have any but in fact do,” he said. “It allowed me to be more empathetic and not focus so much on my own situation.”

Andon plans to continue working in the human services field beyond the end of his current contract at the end of March.

“It’s been a great experience learning from the clients, learning from my co-workers,” he said. “Matt Urban has a strong connection to the community and to other agencies and it’s been inspiring to work alongside so many dedicated people.”

Tasha’s Recipe CornerCHICKEN WING DIP

STAFF SPOTLIGHT

• Community toy store at the Hope Center

• United Way volunteers

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 small package of Philadelphia Cream Cheese

• 1 small bottle of Franks Red Hot Sauce for Buffalo Wings

• 1 bottle of blue cheese or ranch dressings

• 2lbs of shredded cooked chicken

• Bleu cheese crumbs or your favorite cheese

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat the oven at 350 degrees

• Combine all of the ingredients into a baking dish

• Bake for 20 minutes

• After it finishes baking, breadcrumbs or chips can go on top

• The dish can be served with crackers or tortilla chips

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDBUFFALO, NYPERMIT #1180

Help the Hope Center: volunteer or donate today! Call 893-7222 ext. 310

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