Brush Up Buffalo, a not-for-profit, all-volunteer organization focused on revitalizing City of Buffalo neighborhoods, needs 200 additional volunteers for its annual event on Saturday, June 20. The organization would like to paint 15 or more homes for low-income homeowners in the University District.
Registration takes one minute to complete online at www.brushupbuffalo.org. Painters must be 18 years of age or older. The preferred registration deadline is Tuesday, June 9, but Brush Up Buffalo will accept volunteer registrations up to the day of the event. Volunteer teams are asked to meet at the University at Buffalo South Campus beginning at 7:30 a.m. on June 20. Individual painters may arrive by 8:15 a.m.
In addition to the satisfaction of helping fellow Buffalonians, each volunteer will receive a t-shirt, work supplies if needed, breakfast, round-trip shuttling between the University at Buffalo South Campus and the nearby houses, beverages on site and lunch.
Entire volunteer teams are encouraged to register, and teams with 30 or more may paint an entire house by themselves. Individuals are also welcome, and no painting experience is necessary to participate. Smaller teams and individuals will be paired so that 30 to 40 people will be at every home. Union painters will be at each house to provide assistance. Most volunteers are finished with painting and lunch by 1 p.m.
This year’s event takes place in the University District along streets directly south of the University at Buffalo South Campus. The university is a key sponsor for the event and has tied Brush Up Buffalo 2009 to its first-ever UB Community Day.
Other premier sponsors include The Margaret L. Wendt Foundation, Bank of America, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council #4, John W. Danforth Company, LPCiminelli, Painting and Decorating Contractors of Buffalo, M&T Bank, First Niagara, Harter Secrest & Emery LLP, Malcolm Pirnie and United Parcel Service. Their generous donations cover the cost of supplies, insurance and food.
Valspar will donate 75 five-gallon cans of paint for the event and ICI Paints will provide tints for coloring. Additional in-kind donors to date for Brush Up Buffalo 2009 include Tops Friendly Markets, 360 Professional Services Group, Buffalo Niagara Association of Realtors, Buffalo State College, clevermethod, Full Circle Studios, HSBC and University Heights Community Development Agency.
Since its inception in 1996, Brush Up Buffalo volunteers revitalized 12 neighborhoods in the City of Buffalo, painting more than 235 homes. Last year, in approximately five hours, more than 600 volunteers painted 15 homes in the Lovejoy neighborhood, near the reconstruction of Buffalo Public School #43 Lovejoy Discovery School.
For more information, please visit www.brushupbuffalo.org or call (716) 250-3353.