Buffalo continues to show plenty of heart these days, despite the current lockdown circumstances. One particular artist, Casey Milbrand – the local artist who brought the “Greetings from Buffalo” mural to so many of our Instagram feeds – has amplified that heartfelt message by showcasing another one of his touted works in front of his house. Milbrand’s installation, called City HEART, is a sculpture combining bicycle wheels into the shape of a heart, and is illuminated at night. Under normal circumstances, the sculpture is interactive, as a cyclist can pedal the work, making all of the bike wheels spin in…
Author: Vilona Trachtenberg
CowPök is one of Buffalo’s original independent piercing studios. It’s been around for over 25 years. If you think about the correlation between CowPök and the advent of the piercing revolution in Buffalo, they go hand in hand. CowPök was a leader in the space, bringing piercing opportunities to people who were looking to express their individuality. Not long after the business first opened in Buffalo, a segment of the community began to take on a different appearance. For the first time, people were walking around with stretched earlobes, multiple piercings (and not just in ears), and plugs… while bandying…
Visually Impaired Advancement (VIA) is a local nonprofit that advances the lives, and changes the perception, of those in the blind and visually impaired community. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many of these community members have been helping with the manufacturing, packaging, warehousing, and distribution of high-demand, essential PPE products, including gloves for many large companies. VIA also operates a 24/7 contact center and is the region’s provider of the 2-1-1 Health & Human Service Information and Referral Helpline. VIA’s Information & Referral Specialists, most of whom are legally blind, work to connect people to services and resources that are available…
Mary Alloy, owner of Just Pizza & Wing Co. in Amherst, has been an instrumental helper during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a passionate volunteer for the Niagara County SPCA, Alloy combines the work she does for the nonprofit with her business to make an even bigger impact. Since February, Alloy has put over 5,000 animal adoption flyers on her pizza boxes, which has resulted in over 25 dogs and cats being adopted. She also rewards the people adopting these pets with a $50 gift certificate. During National Volunteer Week at the end of April, she even delivered desserts to the…
Jewish Family Service of Buffalo & Erie County (JFS) is a local nonprofit that provides services for mental and physical health and social well-being to individuals of all backgrounds. During the COVID-19 pandemic, JFS is also providing free telehealth counseling services to first responders, health care workers, and all other essential workers. JFS aims to give essential workers coping mechanisms and support during the pandemic. According to JFS, telehealth counseling services help affected individuals battle counterproductive thoughts and behaviors, develop strategies for emotional expression and cultivate positive solutions amidst life challenges. May is Mental Health Awareness Month. “We are seeing…
Make-A-Wish WNY (MAW) has granted over 3,500 wishes to local children and teens with critical illnesses. During COVID-19, travel wishes and crowd-based wishes have been postponed, but the organization is still granting all the wishes it can. Recently, MAW granted a gaming computer to a teen boy who wanted to stay connected with his family and friends. “His mom says having the new computer brings him out of isolation,” said Kate Glaser, senior manager of marketing, communications and community engagement for MAW. “It has changed his emotional state by bringing him much-needed joy.” MAW has also partnered with Aquarium of…
Friends of Night People (FONP) was originally founded back in 1969 to help those less fortunate along the Chippewa strip, which was, then, a red light district. Since that time, the organization (now located in Allentown) has continued to provide food and other support services to those who are poor and/or homeless. During COVID-19, FONP has been holding a food pantry between three and four times a week. The pantry is currently servicing about 300 families per week – that’s five times the number of families, due to the crisis. Providing essential food has become so much more important to…
Fueling the Frontlines is a relatively new fundraising initiative that benefits local coffee shops while serving coffee to frontline workers. Seeing that coffee remains as popular as ever, and remains such an important part of so many people’s daily routine, it only made sense that people rally around the local brew shops. “As of right now, 6,700 cups of coffee will be donated,” said Kaylyn Zurawski, brand manager for Of the Sea, a professional marketing company in Buffalo. “We hope we can make a small difference in [frontline workers’] lives (and help keep them caffeinated).” This is how it works -…
Musejar, located in East Aurora, has two parts – it’s an art studio that typically teaches in-person art classes, and is also a brick-and-mortar store that sells art supplies and gifts. “Art and creation is incredibly important in life in general, but especially now,” said Vanessa Frost, owner and teacher at MUSEjar. “During the global pandemic, stress and anxiety are high, and having a creative release is so important.” During COVID-19, MUSEjar instructors offer online art classes for all ages and abilities –intro to drawing, watercolor painting, and art for stress and anxiety, are just a few of the class…
John Riester, St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute ‘21, and his sister Grace, Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart ‘23, were inspired by their parents to give back to the community in their own creative way. The siblings’ mom is a midwife at local hospitals, and their dad is a volunteer for the fire company in their town, hence both parents come in contact with COVID-19 patients daily. Therefore, John and Grace realized firsthand that frontline workers experience long and stressful days, and they wanted to bring a little “tasty and lighthearted sarcastic fun” to local hardworking personnel, to make their days…