Catholic Charities of Buffalo welcomed community partners to the opening of its new Perry-St. Brigid Food Pantry. The new site rests on the first floor of the 305 Perry St. residence and replaces the Fulton Street pantry.
“Today marks a significant milestone for Catholic Charities as we continue our mission to combat hunger and support our neighbors in need,” announced Julie Lulek, senior director, Catholic Charities of Buffalo.
The project began in the fall of 2021, as Catholic Charities assessed the needs of the existing Fulton Street location, they found it offered limited space and needed improvements.
“After much discussion with our staff and our leaders it was clear in order to better serve our community, a move was needed,” continued Lulek. “This space not only allows us to expand our reach, it also provides more accessibility to our clients, ensuring we can serve individuals and families during some of life’s most challenging times.”
A partnership with the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority has allowed a pantry to be in the Old First Ward neighborhood for decades.
“BMHA has a very long and very productive history with Catholic Charities,” explained Gillian Brown, executive director of the BMHA. “They have really shown the depth of their commitment to this community by the sheer number of months and years that they put up with the conditions in the previous site. It was our pleasure to allocate funds to do this. It’s important to the community. We have, I think, a really rich and productive partnership with Catholic Charities. They have provided tremendous services and loyalty and dedication to our residents for many, many decades.”
The new pantry provides a more accessible space for its clients. Sitting on the ground floor of the BMHA residential complex, it allows easier access for the clients, who previously would need to cross the street to enter the former Fulton Street location.
One of the guests at the March 19 opening was Felicia Bell, who lives at 305 Perry and is a pantry client.
“This food pantry is such a blessing to the tenants here,” she said. “They have fed me many days. It’s just a great asset to the tenants. They don’t have to go without a meal. They’re here every Wednesday. Sometimes the budget gets short. We can come here.”
The bulk of the food comes from FeedMore WNY, a Hamburg-based food bank. Private donations and food drives are welcome.
“I’ve often said that we’re doing the Lord’s work and what better example of that than what we’re doing here today – we’re feeding the hungry,” said Deacon Steve Schumer, president & CEO, Catholic Charities of Buffalo. “When we feed people at the pantry, we send home more than just a bag of food, we send home hope, hope that tomorrow will be a little better than last week. That’s what we’re all about.”
Deacon Schumer blessed the office with holy water before giving a tour of the new site.
Listen to Michael Mroziak’s report: