Author: Darren Cotton

Darren has over a decade of experience in the fields of community development, urban planning, and information design. Working as Director of Community Development & Planning at the University District Community Development Association (UDCDA), Darren was responsible for writing and administering over $2 million in grant funding focused on commercial corridor revitalization, small business development, alternative transportation planning, historic preservation, public art, and community capacity building in Buffalo's University District. As a graduate student at the University at Buffalo, Darren founded The Tool Library, a community-based tool lending library, with an aim of providing affordable tool access and building the Sharing Economy in WNY. With a Bachelor's Degree in International Studies and Linguistics and a Master's Degree in Urban Planning from the University at Buffalo, Darren works to bridge the gap between research and policy through planning, design, and grassroots activism. and is a firm believer that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.

The Tool Library announces it will be hosting a winter 2024 series of Dare to Repair Cafes. These volunteer-powered events put tools and talents to use in the community in an effort to reduce waste by diverting usable items from landfills. Individuals can bring broken household items such as lamps, vacuums, and small electronics to be repaired free of charge by volunteer fixers. The winter series will consist of 3 separate Dare to Repair Cafes at the following locations and Saturdays from 11 am to 2 pm: January 20 | Tosh Collins Community Center, 35 Cazenovia St, Buffalo, NY 14210…

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The Tool Library will be celebrating International Repair Day this Saturday October 21st by hosting a Dare to Repair Café at the Orchard Park Public Library. és are pop-up community events where individuals can bring broken items (lamps, small electronics, vacuums, toys, clothing, etc.) to the repair café and have volunteer “fixers” try to repair the item alongside them for free! This volunteer-powered event puts tools and talents to use in the community in an effort to reduce waste by diverting usable items from landfills. “Repairing the things we already own is one of the simplest ways we can take action in creating…

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The Tool Library will host its annual fundraiser and garden party, Gather Garden + Grow, on Saturday August 12 from 6 to 8 p.m. at The Plot Flower Farm located behind the former Cantalician Center at 3233 Main Street. During the event, guests can play lawn games, tour the garden, enjoy fresh-cut flowers, participate in basket raffles, a silent auction, activities, and more. New merchandise and memberships will be available for purchase and projects built by Tool Library members will also be on display. Tool Library volunteers will be present at the event for community members to learn more about…

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When your stuff breaks, don’t ditch it – fix it! Don’t know how? The fixers with Dare to Repair will show you. Join The Tool Library and Buffalo Recycles for their January Dare to Repair Cafe on Saturday, January 21st at 11AM at the Tosh Collins Community Center in South Buffalo. Dare to Repair is best when shared! Download our flyer to post online or around your neighborhood. Details for the event are as follows: Location: Tosh Collins Community Center – 35 Cazenovia St, Buffalo, NY 14210 (see map) Date: Saturday, January 21st Time: 11am – 2pm What is a Dare to Repair Cafe you might ask?…

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Dare to Repair is best when shared! Download our flyer to post online or around your neighborhood. When your stuff breaks, don’t ditch it – fix it! Don’t know how? The fixers with Dare to Repair will show you. Join The Tool Library and Buffalo Recycles for their December Dare to Repair Cafe on Saturday, December 3rd at 11AM at the Frank E. Merriweather Public Library. Details for the event are as follows: Location: Frank E. Merriweather, Jr. Branch Library – 1324 Jefferson Ave, Buffalo, NY 14208 (https://goo.gl/maps/ibt3Xg6y8guNmtCYA)Date: Saturday, December 3rdTime: 11am – 2pm  What is a Dare to Repair Cafe you might ask? It’s a popup…

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Buffalo, NY – The Tool Library’s service events return to put their tools and volunteers to work with a calendar of community service events every Saturday in October and on November 5. Each of the six service events provide an opportunity to beautify, strengthen, and contribute to the WNY community through direct, hands-on action. Volunteers with The Tool Library have helped plant more than 10,000 bulbs in community gardens, pocket parks, and green spaces across the city! This fall’s schedule includes park and trail cleanups, planting in community gardens, and gardening at William Gaiter Parkway, and cleanup in Dewey Park.…

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The Tool Library will be celebrating another year of borrowing and building at Gather, Garden & Grow, their annual fundraiser and garden part on Saturday, August 13th from 6 to 8 p.m. at The Plot Flower Farm, Buffalo’s smallest (and newest!) urban flower farm, located behind the former Cantalician Center at 3233 Main Street. Tickets are $20 for adults and free for children under the age of 12 and can be purchased online. During the outdoor event, guests can play lawn games, tour the garden, participate in loads of basket and fresh cut flower raffles, and dine on award winning jerk chicken from…

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Dare to Repair is best when shared! Download our flyer to post online or around your neighborhood. When your stuff breaks, you should have the right to repair it. The fixers with Dare to Repair will show you how! Join The Tool Library and friends for the first Dare to Repair Cafe of 2022 on Saturday, June 4th at 11AM at the Lancaster Public Library. Details for the event are as follows: Location: Lancaster Public Library – 5466 Broadway, Lancaster NY 14086 (goo.gl/maps/ekRupwCZ6CQC5Btd6)Date: Saturday, June 4thTime: 11am – 2pm After over a year hiatus, the Dare to Repair crew is back in action fixing your stuff FOR FREE and…

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Now in its sixth year, the Citizen Planning School Champions for Change program will once again host a culminating event, the Idea Summit, as a way to celebrate the bright ideas and inspired leadership of citizen champions working across the Buffalo-Niagara region. Join us for the 2022 Idea Summit on Saturday, May 14th from 9:30AM – Noon in 403 Hayes Hall on the UB South Campus. Launched in the spring of 2014, Champions for Change is a program of One Region Forward’s Citizen Planning School and offered through the UB School of Architecture and Planning. The program assists residents of…

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The Tool Library announces it will be putting its tools and volunteers to work with a new calendar of community service events, on April 23 and 30 and May 7, 14, 21, and 28. Each of the six service events provide an opportunity to beautify, strengthen, and contribute to the WNY community through direct, hands-on action.  Even 3″ of snow couldn’t stop volunteers at The Tool Library’s Dewey Park tree planting last November! This spring’s schedule includes park and trail cleanups, planting in community gardens across Buffalo’s University Heights and Kensington-Bailey neighborhoods, and tree stewardship for newly planted trees along…

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