( 716) 854-8181
buffalocitymission.org
BY THE NUMBERS
Can you help?
Urgent Needs:
• Soap
• Disinfectant wipes
• Denture cream
• Facial tissue
(Kleenex)
• All sizes of winter
coats, hats, gloves
and boots for men,
women and children
January–October 2012
Always on our
Wish List:
• Furniture
• New & gently
used clothing
•Non-perishable food items
such as cereal, tuna, juice,
sliced potatoes, diced
tomatoes and coffee.
Thank you for the tangible ways you care!
Another year is coming to an end and, as
you can see “by the numbers,” your gifts
have made a difference! So far this year,
you’ve helped provide:
More than 145,399 meals
More than 68,595 nights of shelter
Over 575 bags of groceries supplied
to poor and needy families
Thank you for helping to ease the burdens
of hungry, homeless and hurting men,
women and children in the Buffalo area.
6th Annual Motorcycle Ride for the Homeless
‘Tis the season to...
Get connected!
Motorcycling
for a Cause
Visit us at any of the following
websites for up-to-date
information about the work
you support. Sign up here:
buffalocitymission.org
On Saturday, August 25,
more than 125 motorcyclists
participated in the Buffalo City
Mission’s sixth annual
Motorcycle Ride for the
Homeless. Bikers rode 50 miles
through Niagara County, ending
up at Gratwick Park in North Tonawanda.
It was a ride for a cause with very good
results! More than $20,000 was raised—
all to benefit the children’s afterschool program
at the Mission. We would like to thank our
sponsors and everyone who came out to support
this very worthwhile event.
m $30
m $50
m $150
m $__________
Name
AddressAPT.
Your gift is tax deductible to the full extent of
the law. We will send a receipt for your records.
City
Please make your check payable to:
StateZip
EMAIL
NMCAWHT
To give a gift by credit card, visit us online at buffalocitymission.org
or call (716) 854-8181, ext. 429.
4
News of lives transformed—thanks to you!
A publication of Buffalo City Mission
The biggest Christmas gift
After two months in the Men’s Discipleship Program,
Joselito’s life was changing for the better. Even more
important, his heart was changing. He had surrendered to
God and was learning to “...seek first His kingdom and His
righteousness...” (Matthew 6:33). So when Christmas rolled
around, Joselito was ready to receive the best gift ever. It
wasn’t wrapped in bright paper and tied with a bow. It was
the intangible treasure of serving others. As our hungry
guests arrived, Joselito welcomed them warmly and
escorted them in to be fed. “To put a smile on
hundreds of faces...that was the biggest
Christmas gift you can possibly get.”
Long road to rock bottom
For many reasons, Joselito will always
remember last Christmas as “a glorious day.”
He was finally on the road to recovery—
after a painful journey to “rock bottom.”
Joselito’s life began well enough.
As a young man, he had a
promising future as a dancer
with the Buffalo City Ballet.
Then his father, who had
been absent throughout
Joselito’s childhood,
suddenly showed up.
His craving for a
father’s love was so
intense that Joselito
abandoned his dream
of dancing and moved
Yes! I want to provide hearty holiday meals to men, women
and families in need:
m $15
DECEMBER 2012
BUFFALO CITY MISSION
P.O. Box 1748
Buffalo, NY 14240-1748
THANK YOU!
to Cleveland to try and build a relationship with his dad.
“I was really convinced this was going to work out,”
he says. But it didn’t work out. And this was just the
first of many things that didn’t work out—including love,
commitment and fatherhood. “I started hanging around
some old friends that were into not-so-good things,” Joselito
recalls. Things like using and dealing drugs. For the next
20 years, drugs and arrests hacked away at Joselito’s life.
“I have like probably 50 arrests,” he explains.
A tragic turnaround
It took a tragedy to finally turn things around. Once
again, he was in trouble. In fact, he was on his way to
court to be sentenced when his lawyer informed him
that his fiancé had overdosed and was dead. “That was
the big turnaround...the big wakeup call,” he says sadly.
For the next four months, Joselito grieved behind bars.
But when he was released, he came to the Buffalo City
Mission and entered the Discipleship Program.
“I turned myself over to God,” he explains.
“And I’ve been here ever since.” Now in
the fourth phase, Joselito is working
hard on his sobriety and rebuilding
relationships with his daughters.
“My plan is to continue with the
program even after graduation,”
he says. “You don’t leave out
of here as a new person but as
a new person wanting to do
something for somebody else.”
* * * CODE BLUE WEATHER ALERT * * *
Gifts
of Grace
2
A Wonderful
Way to Give
God’s
Fingerprints
2
3
From the Executive Director
buffalocitymission.org
One Mission...One Hope
Join the Billy Sunday Club and give...
Gifts of Grace
After the turbulent times of the
past few years, the hope of
Christmas is truly, in the deepest
sense, “comfort and joy!”
It’s good to be reminded that:
“God so loved the world that He
gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him should
not perish but have everlasting
life” (John 3:16).
The baby born in Bethlehem
was God’s Christmas gift of grace
to the world. Because of Jesus,
we can live in hope every day all
year long. That’s what we do here
at the Buffalo City Mission. We
know there is hope, because we
see the changed lives of men and
women who are set free from
drugs, alcohol and painful
circumstances. We see hope
reflected in the eyes of those who
have come to understand that
they don’t have to be defined by
past hurts or mistakes—or live
out their lives on the streets. And
hope gives people like Joselito,
whose story is featured on the
cover of this newsletter, the will
and the strength to go forward
and become productive,
contributing members of society.
Friends like you, wonderful
volunteers and amazing staff
members like Sue Cervi are also a
gracious gift from God. He uses
us all together to share the good
news of Christmas and transform
lives here at the Mission...all year
long. Thank you and may God
bless you for your faithful and
generous compassion. This
holiday season and in the coming
year, may the peace, joy and love
of God abound in your life.
( 716) 854-8181
Meals each month
for hungry neighbors
Are you a compassionate person with a sincere concern for hungry,
homeless people in the Buffalo area? Do you like the idea of making
a difference every month?
Join the Billy Sunday Club! This special group of faithful donors are the
heartbeat of our ministry—friends we can count on to ensure that meals,
shelter and life-changing programs are available at the Buffalo City Mission,
month after month, all year long.
Being part of this wonderful group is easy...and convenient. You choose
the amount of your monthly donation and the giving option that works best
for you. Send a monthly check—or select one of our autopay options using
your credit card or automatic transfer of funds directly from your bank
account. This is an efficient way to save yourself time and help minimize
the costs of paper, postage and processing.
Why do we call it the Billy Sunday Club? To
honor the legendary baseball star by that name who
started making a difference back in 1917, with a
contribution of $8,400. Will you please step up to
the plate and make a difference, every month? To
join, call (716) 854-8181, ext. 429 or visit us online
at buffalocitymission.org. Thank you!
Charitable Gift Annuities:
A wonderful way to give
A Charitable Gift Annuity is a wonderful way to provide for
yourself...and a charity of choice, such as the Buffalo City Mission.
Benefits may include a lifetime income at a fixed, generous rate,
eligibility for a charitable income tax deduction,
payments that are tax-free for a
number of years and reduction or
deferral of capital gains taxes. For
more detailed information, please
contact Aubrey Calhoun at
(716) 348-3101.
God’s Fingerprints
As manager of volunteers, Buffalo City Mission
staff member Sue Cervi has a big job. Basically she’s
responsible for analyzing our needs (we have many!),
finding people with time to give and a heart to serve, and
drawing them in to make things happen at the Mission.
“I don’t think we realize the impact we can make by
doing one small thing,” says Sue. “Because many of us
together doing one small thing ends up taking care of
the whole need...it’s totally a partnership between the
Mission and the community.” Sue’s vision for
volunteerism makes a complex responsibility
sound so simple—which is probably why
God recruited her to fill such big shoes!
Twists and turns
The journey that led Sue to the
Mission began with her role as a mom,
homeschooling her kids and even planting
the seeds of volunteerism in their hearts
by involving them in our Hambone
Express project when they were
small. “That was probably my
only exposure to the Buffalo City Mission...that one
opportunity,” Sue comments. Looking back, Sue can see
how it all eventually fit together like pieces of a puzzle:
“To be able to understand what it was like to be a
Hambone Express volunteer years ago, and now to be
on the other side, working and organizing it from the
Mission’s side...” Sue explains how being on her church’s
missions committee led her to be a church ambassador to
the Mission—which is how she came to receive an email
when we were searching for a manager of
volunteers. The rest is history!
Today, Sue can see “God’s fingerprints all
over the place!” Each twist and turn He took
her on trained and prepared her in some crucial
way to have just the right blend of skills and
qualities that made her the Mission’s candidate
of choice. “God has a wonderful sense of humor
in how he puts things together for us!” she
says, with the voice of experience and
a great big smile.
Sue Cervi
Manager of Volunteers
United Way Day of Caring
It was a wonderful day...August 15, the United Way Day of Caring! More
than 108 hours of community service were provided within a 3-hour time
period, thanks to numerous volunteers from participating businesses,
organizations, clubs and sororities. They helped with projects at the Buffalo
City Mission’s Men’s Center, Cornerstone Manor and Thrift Store. From the
inside out, these energetic workers washed, scrubbed, polished, swept, dusted,
spackled...you name it! At the end of the day, our sites were sparkling clean.
We are grateful to all the volunteers who participated from
The United Way Day of
representing organizations that included Communication Workers
of America Local 1168, Zonta Club of Buffalo, Trocaire College,
Caring is a perfect example
Gamma Phi Omega Chapter—Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
that “Many of us together
and Vanta Club. It was a joy to have Dr. Laura, past director of
doing one small thing ends
Cornerstone Manor, and a few friends who came with her to help
out—as well as Suzanne Kelley, a good friend who helped out at
up taking care of the
the Thrift Store. It’s great to have a community that cares!
whole need” —Sue Cervi
* * * CODE BLUE WEATHER ALERT * * *
Stuart L. Harper
Executive Director
Now through March 15! Buffalo City Mission is making extra space for friends needing shelter from harsh weather.
2
3
( 716) 854-8181
buffalocitymission.org
BY THE NUMBERS
Can you help?
Urgent Needs:
• Soap
• Disinfectant wipes
• Denture cream
• Facial tissue
(Kleenex)
• All sizes of winter
coats, hats, gloves
and boots for men,
women and children
January–October 2012
Always on our
Wish List:
• Furniture
• New & gently
used clothing
•Non-perishable food items
such as cereal, tuna, juice,
sliced potatoes, diced
tomatoes and coffee.
Thank you for the tangible ways you care!
Another year is coming to an end and, as
you can see “by the numbers,” your gifts
have made a difference! So far this year,
you’ve helped provide:
More than 145,399 meals
More than 68,595 nights of shelter
Over 575 bags of groceries supplied
to poor and needy families
Thank you for helping to ease the burdens
of hungry, homeless and hurting men,
women and children in the Buffalo area.
6th Annual Motorcycle Ride for the Homeless
‘Tis the season to...
Get connected!
Motorcycling
for a Cause
Visit us at any of the following
websites for up-to-date
information about the work
you support. Sign up here:
buffalocitymission.org
On Saturday, August 25,
more than 125 motorcyclists
participated in the Buffalo City
Mission’s sixth annual
Motorcycle Ride for the
Homeless. Bikers rode 50 miles
through Niagara County, ending
up at Gratwick Park in North Tonawanda.
It was a ride for a cause with very good
results! More than $20,000 was raised—
all to benefit the children’s afterschool program
at the Mission. We would like to thank our
sponsors and everyone who came out to support
this very worthwhile event.
m $30
m $50
m $150
m $__________
Name
AddressAPT.
Your gift is tax deductible to the full extent of
the law. We will send a receipt for your records.
City
Please make your check payable to:
StateZip
EMAIL
NMCAWHT
To give a gift by credit card, visit us online at buffalocitymission.org
or call (716) 854-8181, ext. 429.
4
News of lives transformed—thanks to you!
A publication of Buffalo City Mission
The biggest Christmas gift
After two months in the Men’s Discipleship Program,
Joselito’s life was changing for the better. Even more
important, his heart was changing. He had surrendered to
God and was learning to “...seek first His kingdom and His
righteousness...” (Matthew 6:33). So when Christmas rolled
around, Joselito was ready to receive the best gift ever. It
wasn’t wrapped in bright paper and tied with a bow. It was
the intangible treasure of serving others. As our hungry
guests arrived, Joselito welcomed them warmly and
escorted them in to be fed. “To put a smile on
hundreds of faces...that was the biggest
Christmas gift you can possibly get.”
Long road to rock bottom
For many reasons, Joselito will always
remember last Christmas as “a glorious day.”
He was finally on the road to recovery—
after a painful journey to “rock bottom.”
Joselito’s life began well enough.
As a young man, he had a
promising future as a dancer
with the Buffalo City Ballet.
Then his father, who had
been absent throughout
Joselito’s childhood,
suddenly showed up.
His craving for a
father’s love was so
intense that Joselito
abandoned his dream
of dancing and moved
Yes! I want to provide hearty holiday meals to men, women
and families in need:
m $15
DECEMBER 2012
BUFFALO CITY MISSION
P.O. Box 1748
Buffalo, NY 14240-1748
THANK YOU!
to Cleveland to try and build a relationship with his dad.
“I was really convinced this was going to work out,”
he says. But it didn’t work out. And this was just the
first of many things that didn’t work out—including love,
commitment and fatherhood. “I started hanging around
some old friends that were into not-so-good things,” Joselito
recalls. Things like using and dealing drugs. For the next
20 years, drugs and arrests hacked away at Joselito’s life.
“I have like probably 50 arrests,” he explains.
A tragic turnaround
It took a tragedy to finally turn things around. Once
again, he was in trouble. In fact, he was on his way to
court to be sentenced when his lawyer informed him
that his fiancé had overdosed and was dead. “That was
the big turnaround...the big wakeup call,” he says sadly.
For the next four months, Joselito grieved behind bars.
But when he was released, he came to the Buffalo City
Mission and entered the Discipleship Program.
“I turned myself over to God,” he explains.
“And I’ve been here ever since.” Now in
the fourth phase, Joselito is working
hard on his sobriety and rebuilding
relationships with his daughters.
“My plan is to continue with the
program even after graduation,”
he says. “You don’t leave out
of here as a new person but as
a new person wanting to do
something for somebody else.”
* * * CODE BLUE WEATHER ALERT * * *
Gifts
of Grace
2
A Wonderful
Way to Give
God’s
Fingerprints
2
3