The Buffalo building season is upon us. That means that soon enough, the sounds of hammering and sawing will fill the air. Per usual, with the building season comes various helping hands in the form of organizations that are on the lookout for others who are in less fortunate living situations. One group that continues to push for home ownership for families that would not otherwise have the resources to afford their own places to live is Habitat for Humanity Buffalo (H4H).
This year, H4H is getting a boost from two other community partners – Kaleida Health and M&T Bank. Together, Kaleida Health and M&T Bank have agreed to provide full funding, and employee volunteers, to build a home on Winslow Avenue on Buffalo’s East Side.
Actually, the building of the home began this past December. The structure, going up at 39 Winslow Avenue, will feature 4-bedrooms, 1.5-bathrooms, and will include Energy Star appliances, lighting and controls, energy-efficient heating and cooling, and an electric water heater. The work on the home will be completed this summer.
“M&T and Kaleida are ideal partners,” said Habitat Buffalo Executive Director Teresa Bianchi, “Not only have they made this meaningful financial investment in our community, but their leadership and staff have dedicated hundreds of volunteer hours towards building this home for a hardworking family.”
Not only is the funding for this project significant, so is the employee labor that will be allocated to building the home. Kaleida Health and M&T employees will dedicate their time and energy to helping out with the tremendous cause.
“As an organization, Kaleida Health is taking our commitment to care beyond the walls of our hospitals, long-term care facilities and ambulatory sites by partnering with others like M&T Bank and Habitat for Humanity and bringing that care out to the community in a big way,” said Kaleida Health President and CEO Jody Lomeo. “I am proud of the Kaleida Health family for embracing this initiative with a strong commitment to making a more tangible impact across Western New York.”
“We are pleased to join forces with Kaleida Health to help Habitat Buffalo build this home for one of our neighbors,” said M&T Bank Chairman and CEO René Jones. “Access to safe, affordable housing and the opportunity to achieve homeownership are defining characteristics of vibrant communities. Together, we can ensure these vital qualities remain alive and well on Buffalo’s East Side.”