Build Promise Project breaks ground at Buffalo Site

​24,000 square foot building to add shelter and healthcare services to St. Luke’s Mission of Mercy Campus
 
BUFFALO, NY – A project in the works for five years will be moving ever closer to fruition with a groundbreaking ceremony on May 2, 2024 at 1 PM.
 
Build Promise, the initiative proposed by St. Luke’s Mission of Mercy co-founder Amy Betros in 2019, is launching the start of construction at 1297 Sycamore Street, across the street from Betros’ sprawling campus.
 
“We have been serving the needs of our Buffalo community for thirty years but felt the void in taking care of homeless men, so this is the answer to that dilemma,” stated Betros, who formed the steering committee to fundraise and plan Build Promise with Kathleen Mattar.
Mattar and her husband, William, gave the initial donation that jump-started the project.  “We enlisted a terrific group of community stakeholders that reached out to their families and friends, and we are thrilled to begin the building phase,” explained Ms. Mattar. 
Stuart Harper is president of Build Promise.  He was most recently the head of the Buffalo City Mission and joined Build Promise in 2022.
 
“I am a builder by nature and so, when I saw what Amy Betros had envisioned, I jumped at the chance to pilot this critically needed community services facility,” stated Harper.
 
The building will include:                                                    

• 96 Semi-private shelter beds for homeless men
• 80 Code Blue beds
• Showers
• Laundry facilities
• Medical care offices
• Mental Health care offices
• Dental care offices
• Maternal Health offices
• Nutritional support services
• Haircutting services

 
There will be collaboration with key established community providers within the Build Promise facility which include Jericho Road, BestSelf Behavioral Services, OLV Human Services, Evergreen Health, Feedmore WNY, US Department of Veterans Affairs, Mental Health Advocates of WNY, The Restoration Society, & Neighborhood Legal Services
 
Resources on-site will include:

• Job training
• Job placement
• Email access
• Family literacy
• Financial literacy
• Legal assistance
• Housing placement
• Transportation

 
Build Promise wishes to thank all of the donors that are making this day possible, especially the generosity of Jane Greene and Family in memory of William H. Greene III, who got onboard this nascent project and propelled it to reality.  Major donors include:

• Jane Greene & Family in memory of William H. Greene
• John & Sarah Gibson
• M&T Bank
• Foundation 214, Inc.
• The Russell J. Salvatore Foundation
• The Frank L. Ciminelli Family Foundation
• The Swede Anderson Foundation
• William & Kathleen Mattar
• Baille Lumber
• The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation
• Lawrence & Elaine Mattar
• The John R. Oishei Foundation
• Mark Sieczkarek
• First Niagara Foundation
• Adele Kraus
• Anthony Nanula & Family

 
Significant in-kind donations from:

• Lehigh Construction Group
• Scheid Architectural
• Phillips Lytle, LLP
• Law Offices of William Mattar

 
Donations for Build Promise are still needed for the facility’s completion, sustainability, and staffing.  To donate, visit www.BuildPromise.com/donate or make checks payable to Build Promise and mail to: Build Promise, Inc., P.O. Box 1136, Buffalo, NY 14215.  Build Promise is a 501(c)3 not for profit.