Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - The Salvation Army of Buffalo broke ground Wednesday on its transformational "Hope on Main" project, a three-phase, $100 million project that will provide affordable housing and relevant programs to help vulnerable Western New York families.
"Today marks a milestone for not just our organization, but for the community, as we break ground on the first phase of the transformative 'Hope on Main' project, a new family shelter," said Major Annette Lock with the Salvation Army of Buffalo on Wednesday. "Now this is not just the construction of a building, but the foundation for brighter futures and renewed dreams. This shelter is going to be a beacon of compassion and support, a testament to what we can achieve when we unite together with a shared vision and purpose. Our work today is a promise to families in crisis that they will always have a place to turn. A place where hope is not just a word, but a tangible reality."
The Salvation Army’s new Emergency Family Shelter will provide 32 units and 80 beds of emergency housing at its Main Street campus. Replacing the existing shelter, this $20 million phase of the project will continue to provide a safe place for families in need and offer additional resources for the community.
The new space will allow The Salvation Army the opportunity to keep families together, including those with teen boys and single fathers, rather than splitting them up, giving them a space to heal together and the opportunity to get back on their feet.
Buffalo Mayor Chris Scanlon says all families deserve a clean, safe and healthy environment, and this project will ensure just that for any family in need throughout the city.
"In the face of rising rents and housing and security, emergency housing like this is more critical than it's ever been in the City of Buffalo," said Mayor Scanlon during Wednesday's ceremony. "The shelter will provide services for families with children and pregnant women, providing more than just a place to stay, it offers an opportunity to rebuild lives. The City of Buffalo is a proud partner in this project. It's an honor for me to be a partner in this project. The City of Buffalo's Urban Renewal Agency contributed $3.6 million in BURA's Home Art Program, reinforcing our administration's commitment to providing safe and stable housing for those in need."
Hope on Main is a three-phase project to support the local community and provide affordable housing and relevant programs to help those in need. The Salvation Army met its fundraising goal for Phase I in June 2024, and is currently working through Phase II of the campaign focused on the Affordable Housing and Townhomes on Main Street, as well as Phase III, the East Buffalo Community Center, both buildings of which are scheduled to be complete in 2027.
The Hope on Main Phase II and III includes:
- The construction of 143 one- and two-bedroom permanent affordable housing apartments for families on Main Street with wrap-around services on the first floor, and 17 three-bedroom townhomes for larger families in need on North Pearl.
- The construction of the East Buffalo Salvation Army Church and Community Center, which will be home to a chapel, offices, an after-school program, summer camps, a youth mentoring program, gymnasium, fitness center, client choice food pantry, a kitchen, dining areas, and a music program.
- The establishment of an operations endowment to ensure the sustainability of the Hope on Main projects for years to come.
Fillmore District Councilman Mitch Nowakowski is very aware of how pivotal this type of project will be for the City of Buffalo with the resources it will provide to several families in the community who may need a lending hand.
"The notions that you assign to people that go to a shelter, don't, because when you really talk to people, you realize that it could be anyone of us, by the grace of God, that needs shelter. And you realize that many people don't have that family system to be able to fall back on. When you're thinking about homelessness, it's not necessarily the people that you see walking up and down the street. It could be someone across the street that lost their home. It's people that are couch surfing. It's the the vulnerable people that we don't necessarily see right in front of our face every day, but that live among us. So I know that this is going to be a positive and contributing factor to this neighborhood," said Nowakowski on Wednesday. "Some neighbors that, when we first began this project, said, 'Wait a minute, that's an emergency shelter?' That's how good they do this here. And if you're going to talk to people about how to do emergency shelter and services, talk to the Salvation Army and talk to Major Lock."
The Salvation Army Main Street location has been serving the community and helping those in need since opening its doors in 1957. With a mission to help others, The Salvation Army offers more than a dozen programs, including Employment Services, Youth Empowerment Program, Neighbor for Neighbor, and Pathway to Hope.
For more information about The Salvation Army’s Hope on Main project and opportunities to get involved, please visit https://easternusa.salvationarmy.org/empire/buffalo/hope-on-main/.