Our Vision

PUSH's members are the community organizers who make affordable housing a reality in Buffalo. Our members work with partners and funders to create a healthy, just and strong city that includes community control of resources, living wage jobs and access to quality education, healthcare and transportation.


Our Mission

The mission of PUSH Buffalo is to mobilize residents to create strong neighborhoods with quality affordable housing, to expand local hiring opportunities and advance economic justice in Buffalo.

The growth of PUSH over the years has been attributed to its commitment to operating principles, which will shape the implementation of its five years strategic plan.


Our Values

At PUSH Buffalo,
our values are:

Member Involvement - We base our decisions on member participation and consideration of alternatives.

Inclusiveness - Diversity of opinions is our strength and we encourage it.

Ownership - We take advantage of opportunities to create and control community resources.

Results Oriented - Our Plan is an accomplishment. The document outlines goals for measurable outcomes and results.

Relevant - We will respond to changing political and social climate by evaluating trends that are relevant to the goals and objectives we set for our organization.

Justice - We are committed to promoting social justice that gives real power to real people.


Our Strategic Priorities

Over the next five years,
PUSH will strive to:

Build a more democratic, action-oriented organization capable of addressing poor housing condition and the lack of living wage in the neighborhoods

Increase property ownership by low-income residents through the PUSH Community Housing Co-op

Decrease the rate of housing abandonment by reclaiming empty houses from neglectful public and private owners and redeveloping them for occupancy by low-income residents

Lead direct action campaigns against corporations and government agencies whose practices contribute to the high poverty rate in the neighborhoods

Create a replicable model of grassroots neighborhood organizing and redevelopment, which can be employed in other low-income neighborhoods throughout the Rust Belt

updates
September 2, 2010
CD Release part with PUSH and Nov!
From Nov's Press Release:

BUFFALO, NEW YORK, August 24, 2010--Native son of Buffalo Thomas "Nov" Baines is officially releasing his debut album The War in Music in spectacular form at Buffalo's own Burchfield Penny Art Center. Nov is destined to take the city of Buffalo and the entire music industry by storm. An extremely talented individual with a keen ear for music and a lyrical genius in his own right has raised the bar from what is the status quo for Buffalo artists. From his intellectual play on words to the enticing melodies and rhythms, Nov invites the world to experience his world through music. The War in Music is the first of its kind and is sure to satisfy an extensive audience.

Nov unlike so many young talents of Buffalo, who venture off into other cities, is committed to his home town. Although the production and creative processes for this debut album was locally based, the end product definitely maintains and even surpasses industry standards and quality.

Nov is everything but your average run of the mill artist, also CEO of Majeestyle Entertainment LLC with an M.B.A., he has a drive and a sincere commitment to the advancement of Buffalo NY, fostering an environment within his company to form a sense of social responsibility.

The release will be held Friday, September 3rd at 7:30pm at the Burchfield Penny Art Center an endeavor that promises to be groundbreaking. Allied with P.U.S.H. Buffalo, a non-profit organization that focuses on creating strong neighborhoods with quality affordable housing, expanding job opportunities and advancing local economic justice, this will be an evening of music and social awareness. Visit: www.thisisnov.com
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campaigns
September 2, 2010
PUSH Demands Fair Conservation Program from National Fuel
On Thursday, September 2nd at 11:30 AM, PUSH Members, joined by State Senator William Stachowski, Councilmember David Rivera, and Erie County Legislator Maria Whyte, gathered outside the Public Service Commission Office in Buffalo, to formally submit public comments urging the Public Service Commission to reject National Fuel’s CIP petition and require a program that works for the community, instead of one that passes costs on to customers who can least afford it. PUSH leaders gave personal testimony on the high cost of high heating bills, as well as discuss community solutions to the problem.

National Fuel has submitted a formal request to the Public Service Commission to extend its CIP program. PUSH has sought a dialogue with National Fuel CEO David Smith about ways the program could be improved to reduce heating costs and create jobs in Buffalo’s low-income neighborhoods. Thus far, the company has rebuffed PUSH’s request to offer community input.

“National Fuel fails to pay for its own CIP, instead shifting the cost to its customers,” said PUSH leader Bob Cook. “The program is funded by a surcharge on customer bills, authorized by the Public Service Commission in National Fuel’s most recent rate case and the $10.8 million that National Fuel puts into the program amounts to approximately $22 per customer.” Cook continued.

According to a study in Forbes, Buffalo is the 4th most expensive city to heat in the country. This forces Buffalonians to make tough choices to meet daily needs and this burden falls heaviest on the city’s poorest residents. Despite having disproportionately high heating costs, low-income customers receive less than 30% of CIP aid. Marketing, evaluation, and appliance rebates targeting well-capitalized homeowners account for the bulk of the budget.

PUSH believes a real Conservation Incentive Program would include the following:
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campaigns
August 31, 2010
PUSH & Stimulus Alliance Team Up
PUSH Buffalo teamed up with our friends at VOICE Buffalo, Niagara Organizing Alliance for Hope, Common Cause, and Community Voices Heard as the NY Stimulus Alliance at the Church of the Nativity in Tonawanda this past Thursday. We held a town hall style meeting to hold elected and program officials accountable regarding our stimulus dollars!

The NY Stimulus Alliance is a coalition of six organizing networks, multi-chapter organizations, and four policy/research partners who have joined together for the purpose of tracking federal stimulus money coming into NYS and maximizing its positive impact for marginalized communities.

The meeting was packed with over 150 community leaders from the greater Buffalo-Niagara region. PUSH members marched into the meeting singing a song to the tune of "When the Saints go Marching In" entitled, "Oh When PUSH Goes Marching In."

Barbara Barlow, Bob Cook, and Jen Mecozzi from PUSH all spoke at the event. Jen and Barbara gave testimony on the need for our stimulus dollars in weatherization programs to be spent.

The NY Stimulus Alliance will continue to monitor the spending of Stimulus dollars and make sure the money is hitting the ground where it's needed!
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updates
August 25, 2010
You Need a Job?
Check this out! From the University of Michigan:

"Part-time employment opportunities are available for candidates interested in conducting in-home interviews for a national study in the Buffalo NY area. Selected hires will attend training in Ann Arbor, Michigan the first week of October for seven consecutive days. After training, employees are required to have a flexible work schedule of 25-30 hrs/wk. during the day, evenings, and weekends and have reliable transportation.

Pay rate for the Buffalo area is $12.00/hr. and employees are reimbursed for all business related mileage and expenses. The university is interested in English speaking and bilingual candidates. Spanish/English bilingual candidates receive an additional $2.00/hr. once the candidate passes certification. Higher starting rates for candidates with prior door-to-door data collection experience may also be available."

Check out the full description of the job here.
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updates
August 23, 2010
Caribbean Day Parade!
This past Saturday PUSH members and staff showed up to march in Buffalo's Caribbean Day Parade!

Led by Board Member Terry Richard, PUSH danced the entire length of the parade (a not inconsiderable feat) and managed to enjoy themselves thoroughly AND get to our monthly community meeting on time.

Go PUSH!
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updates
August 19, 2010
An Evening of Art in the Park!
Please join PUSH Buffalo and the Urban Soccer Initiative Friday, August 20 at Sweet_ness 7 (216 Grant St at Lafayette Ave) for An Evening of Art for the Park! We will be hosting a party to raise money to aid rehab efforts of Massachusetts Avenue Park, located in the heart of the city's West Side. The event will feature a silent auction, where guests may bid on pieces donated by many of Buffalo's premier artists. Tickets are $40 and can be purchased by hitting the Paypal button at the top of our homepage.

PUSH leaders have been working hard to get our community-developed plan for the park up and running. Hundreds of West side residents have participated in the planning process and now we have a great blueprint to work off of! The plan for the park includes a splash pad, multi-purpose field, refurbished basketball courts, an amphitheater and a skate-park.

PUSH truly believes that people know what they need where they live and that the Mass Ave park could become a jewel of the West Side if we get our plan implemented. We need all hands on deck if we are going to make this event truly successful!
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updates
August 16, 2010
Check Out PUSH on Channel 2's WNY Living
This past weekend PUSH Leader Grady Davis and Organizer Harrison were on Channel 2's WNY Living with media personality Janet Snyder. Check out the video! They plugged a couple of PUSH's upcoming events, including:

An Evening of Art for the Park (a fundraiser for the Mass Ave Park)
Friday, 8/20 @ 8p.m. @ Sweetness 7 Cafe


PUSH Informational Meeting
Saturday, 8/21 @ 3pm. @ 271 Grant St.

Hope to see YOU there!
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