BUFFALO, NY - Canisius is the recipient of a Love Your Block Grant. Mayor Byron W. Brown announced the first round of winners of the Love Your Block mini-grant program to support community efforts to beautify neighborhoods. The project is funded by Cities of Service and Cities RISE and administered by the city of Buffalo’s Division of Citizen Services. Mini-grants of up to $1,500 are awarded to local organizations with innovative project ideas.
Canisius will use the grant to create a 20-bed community garden and gathering place on Jefferson Avenue. Canisius currently maintains a cooperative community garden at 1032 Lafayette Avenue, which it cultivates in partnership with the Oxford Square Block Club, Buffalo Public School #17 and #74, the Congolese Refugee Communities and others. The college broke ground on the East West Community Garden in April 2018.
Canisius established the community garden to create and maintain community cohesion in the local area. The Love Your Block grant is awarded to organizations whose projects aim to improve accessibility, community space revitalization, streetscape improvement and vacant lot activation.
Other recipients of the grant are all working on projects to improve the community of Buffalo and to beautify the surrounding area. Other initiatives include the clean-up landscaping, the installation of lights to reduce crime and to unite the community with garden projects.
One of 27 Jesuit universities in the nation, Canisius is the premier private university in Western New York. Canisius prepares leaders – intelligent, caring, faithful individuals – able to pursue and promote excellence in their professions, their communities and their service to humanity.
