Buffalo Promise Neighborhood To Receive Up To $6 Million From Annie E. Casey Foundation

BUFFALO, N.Y., November 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Buffalo Promise Neighborhood (BPN) today announced that it will receive up to $6 million in funding over the next several years from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, a private national philanthropy that works to create better futures for children by strengthening families, building economic opportunities and transforming neighborhoods into safer and healthier places to live, work and grow. 

The Buffalo Promise Neighborhood is one of three communities in the United States to receive funding from the foundation as part of a strategy that complements the cradle-to-college-and-career continuum of services that BPN is building to transform the 14215 neighborhood and surrounding community within the City of Buffalo.

"The Casey Foundation strongly believes that children do well when their families do well, and that families thrive when they live in supportive communities," said Ryan Chao, the Foundation's vice president for civic sites and community change. "We look forward to working with Buffalo Promise Neighborhood, a likeminded partner, to create a more family-focused approach to community development, helping to transform this neighborhood into a place where kids and their parents thrive."

"With this new support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, we have more than doubled the funding that we obtained through the original Promise Neighborhood grant.  These additional resources will strengthen and intensify our efforts to transform an economically distressed community, and restore hope and promise to the children and families in this neighborhood," said Mark J. Czarnecki, President of M&T Bank and Chairman of the Buffalo Promise Neighborhood Board of Directors.   

The FCCC is premised on a two generation family approach that provides programming for children and their families that focus on healthy development, growth and education, and services for adults that concentrate on parenting, job skills and financial security. 

"The two generation approach is a central theme for serving children and families in the Buffalo Promise Neighborhood, and we will closely integrate our efforts with the Casey Foundation's strategy," said David K. Chamberlain, Vice Chairman, Westminster Foundation and CEO, Buffalo Promise Neighborhood.  "BPN will continue developing the partnerships, organization and staffing, program management and data systems, financial resources and community outreach capacity to link and integrate seamlessly a continuum of programs and supports that fulfill Casey's criteria."

BPN is working with various partners in the community to implement this initiative.  These partners include Erie Community College, Buffalo Urban League, Belmont Shelter Corporation, and Community Health Center of Buffalo, among others.

"We are truly grateful for this award from one of the leading national philanthropic organizations in the United States," said Chamberlain.  "This announcement continues the amazing momentum we are building in our efforts to improve the health, wellness and education of children and families in the Promise Neighborhood."

About the Annie E. Casey Foundation: The Annie E. Casey Foundation is a private national philanthropy that creates better futures for the nation's children by strengthening families, building economic opportunities and transforming neighborhoods into safer and healthier places to live, work and grow. For more information visit www.aecf.org.

About Buffalo Promise Neighborhood: Founded in 2010, Buffalo Promise Neighborhood is a multi-stakeholder not-for-profit organization that seeks to improve performance at three schools on the northeast side of Buffalo – Bennett High School, Highgate Heights, and Westminster Community – and transform the surrounding community by providing a continuum of solutions to children and families, including neighborhood resources, streamlining family services and improving educational supports.

BPN is a unique public/private partnership that collaborates with a broad range of partners and service providers, including businesses, block clubs, non-profits, public entities and other organizations.  BPN is supported through financial and human resources generously provided by M&T Bank as well as support through the Westminster Foundation.  BPN also receives funding from U.S. Department of Education and the John R. Oishei Foundation.  For more information, please visit www.buffalopromiseneighborhood.org.

Contacts:
Earl Wells/Dan Giacomini
e3communications
716-854-8182

SOURCE M&T Bank