“Most people do not know that the nation’s largest refugee shelter is right here, in Buffalo. Located in a renovated school building at 50 Wyoming Street–on Buffalo’s Ease Side– Vive offers food, clothing, shelter, and legal assistance to refugees from around the world. Today, there are over 100 people staying at Vive, including 35 children.” – Vive
It is these sorts of initiatives that are changing the face of Buffalo every day. The food is changing, the clothing is changing, the storefronts are changing… the faces are changing. As a community, we should be embracing these changes for a number of reasons, ranging from humanitarian, to societal benefits for our city (and the nation). This Saturday, Vive is hosting its first-ever Open House, and is inviting the community to come inside and learn about the important programs that the organization conducts. “It is important to us that we are part of a larger community,” said Angela Jordan Mosely, Executive Director of Vive. “We especially want people to see what it is that we do behind these walls. People are often surprised at the variety of programming we provide at Vive. This Summer, we are kicking off our Little Learning Academy for pre-school aged kids, and building a brand new playground on site.”
This Saturday, June 1st, from 2:00-5:00 pm, Vive invites the community to come for a tour at their first-ever Open House. Refugees from around the world will conduct personal tours and food and beverages will be provided. In the past 29 years, Vive has assisted over 84,000 refugees from 110 countries in their efforts to enter Canada to apply for refugee status or to apply for asylum in the United States. Vive presently has 118 beds for men, women, and children.