One of the best ways to help revitalize neighborhoods is the tell the stories of the people that live there, along with the places that they frequent. That’s why the Buffalo Federation of Neighborhood Centers (BFNC) – founded from the Settlement House Movement in the 1890’s – has set out to conduct a series of interviews with people who live and work in the Fruit Belt, on Buffalo’s East Side. The compilation of interviews is considered “raw and real” conversations with the residents who live and/or work in the historic neighborhood.
The hope is, that by telling these stories in a candid manner, people will get a better understanding of the Fruit Belt, which is often times misunderstood by those who are not intimately familiar with the goings on of the neighborhood. For over 100 years, BFNC has been helping to watch over neighbors and families in the Fruit Belt. Now, the non-profit organization is telling the stories of the people that it has lent a helping hand to. What started off as a mission to help immigrants rise up from levels of poverty, has now become an effort to “enrich lives and empower residents to develop their own path to success.”
Season One of Neighborhood Fruits contains seven episodes; each one detailing BFNC’s social services such as care coordination, housing, social rehabilitation or activities, fiscal management and other wrap-around ‘quality of life’ services.
The Neighborhood Fruits video series was inspired by the popular “Humans of New York” photoblog turned video series. BFNC’s administrative offices are located in the Fruit Belt (known as the Neighborhood House), which was also the inspiration behind creating the Buffalo version of the video series.
“People who live in the Fruit Belt may know what the Neighborhood House is and what goes on inside of it, but what about employees of the Medical Campus or those looking to make the Fruit Belt their home? ‘Neighborhood Fruits’ is the perfect platform to provide a brief but interesting look into the longstanding history of the BFNC organization,” stated Chandra Redfern, BFNC Deputy Director.
“The BFNC has been around for over 100 years. As we transition into current times, and essentially, a new century, we felt that we needed a digital platform to help tell our story of impact and history. We want the Buffalo area to know that our services are available. Our goal is to uplift and assist with ‘quality of life’ goals so that individuals may establish their own path to independence,” stated Ricardo I. Herrera, BFNC Executive Director.
BFNC Presents “Neighborhood Fruits” was created by Jackson Parker Communications, LLC. Learn more about the agency at www.bfnc.org.
