Genesis Center Grand Opening September 29

Diocesan News, Front Page • September 26th, 2016

Why would a church buy a bar? Especially a run-down bar?  It was a natural question when St. Simon’s Episcopal Church purchased the building at 2161 Seneca Street at a tax auction.  The answer is that they had a vision and a hope for the future of their neighbors.

St. Simon’s had housed a food pantry for 25 years and had just begun a weekly soup kitchen.  With nearly 400 families receiving food from the pantry each month and the number of people eating in the soup kitchen quickly going from 60 to 100 each week, it was clear that their neighbors had more needs.

St. Simon’s had a vision for a place where their neighbors could get everything they needed.  With the purchase of that run down bar, the Genesis Center was born.

A grant from the Margaret L. Wendt Foundation funded the renovation.  Deacon Milania Lullo, Mr. Tom Lunt and Mr. Mark Henger from St. Simon’s designed a space, waited in line for permit, and oversaw every phase of the construction.  Deacon Milania said, “I remember pleading with Mark, just give me walls, if you’ll just give me walls everything will be all right.”

There are now more than walls.  There is a kitchen for the soup kitchen & classes on cooking & getting the most out of a grocery budget.  There is a dining room for the soup kitchen that is also used by the food pantry and for painting classes.  There is a medical office where volunteer doctors & nurses oversee will oversee ECC students and provide flu shots and other basic services.  There is a clothes closet full of professional clothes and where resume and interview help are provided.  There is a room for support groups ranging from AA & NA to grief & PTSD support groups.  There is a children’s room where children’s clothes & books are available.  There is a regular clothes closet as well.  And the wall, the walls are designed to be the perfect venue for exhibitions of art by children and local artists.

With help from partners like Erie County Community College, the Family Justice Center and many dedicated volunteers, the Genesis Center has already become a place where not only physical needs are met but where a community is being formed.  Deacon Milania said, “The story of people’s lives are being told right here.  People are hungry for community and this is a place where they know they belong.”.

Bishop Franklin and Mayor Byron Brown will preside at the Grand Opening of the Genesis Center, 2161 Seneca St., Buffalo on Thursday September 29 at 10 am.  Everyone is invited to the Grand Opening. The Genesis Center will be open for tours until 2 pm on the 29^th.

Ways that you can help the work of the Genesis Center:

• Send a tax deductible contribution to The Genesis Center, 2161 Seneca St., Buffalo, 14210
• Volunteer to help contact Teresa by calling 716-822-1900 ext 40 or emailing teresa@thegenesiscenter.us
• Like the Genesis Center on Facebook
• Tell your friends about it