Capital Campaign Gap Closing as Community Challenge Goals Exceeded
BUFFALO, NY (November 16, 2022) – Wearing hard hats and goggles, Jericho Road leaders, supporters and contractors embarked on renovations to Vive Shelter’s new Main Street location by knocking down the first barriers earlier today. Vive Shelter, a Jericho Road program, provides safe refuge for those fleeing persecution and other desperate conditions from across the world.
“The need for shelters like Vive continues to grow,” said Dr. Myron Glick, founder and CEO for Jericho Road. “More than 17,000 asylum-seekers and refugees have arrived in our state since the spring with more than 3,000 showing up at Vive with nowhere else to turn and more expected in the coming months.”
On September 1, Jericho Road launched its capital campaign A Path to Hope: The Campaign For Jericho Road’s Vive Shelter with the announcement that more than $3.3 million is committed toward its $6 million goal. Jericho Road also announced a Community Challenge to raise an additional $60,000 thanks to five community members who collectively pledged to match up to $30,000 in donations received by December 31, 2022.
“We are incredibly grateful for those who have invested in this project to date,” said Scott Bieler, campaign co-chairperson. “Thanks to our community of good neighbors, we have exceeded our Community Challenge goal, providing the resources to start the renovations.”
The Scott Bieler Family Foundation Vive Shelter, A Program of Jericho Road is the largest Asylum-seeking shelter in the United States, allowing Vive to continue its long standing history of providing safe refuge for those fleeing persecution and other desperate conditions from across the world.
Needing a more conducive and trauma-informed space to serve Vive’s residents, the new 1500 Main Street property will undergo renovations to create a more appropriate and efficient infrastructure. The new building, which is larger than the existing building on Wyoming Street, will create a safer, more comfortable and dignified environment that promotes healing for residents.
The building renovations will include smaller dorm rooms that will allow individuals and families to have their own private living space, a kitchen and cafeteria, a classroom/computer lab, recreation areas including an indoor playroom and outdoor playground, as well as a quiet room along with space for legal and medical services for Vive residents.
716 Ministries is delighted to serve as the General Contractor for the Vive project, continuing our partnership with Jericho Road to serve our city and those from around the world”, said Jeremy Hazelton, executive director for 716 Ministries. “Our work on this project will not only help create a hospitable environment for those served by Vive but will also create workforce development opportunities for those served by 716 Ministries.”
According to Bieler, the capital campaign is just over halfway to its fundraising goal. “Buffalo is a welcoming community, and Jericho Road and those they serve need the community’s support to reach our six million dollar goal,” said Bieler.
Renovations are expected to be complete in the coming months with Vive’s operations moving to 1500 Main Street in Spring of 2023.
About Jericho Road:
Jericho Road Community Health Center provides wholistic healthcare for the underserved and marginalized communities in Buffalo and across the world in order to demonstrate the unconditional love of Jesus. Our vision is for Buffalo to become a city with abundant opportunity for the underserved and marginalized to be healthy, educated, and whole. Vive was founded in 1984 by members of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious of the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo, NY. In 2015, Vive was acquired by Jericho Road and is now one of Jericho Road’s community programs.