Ribbon cut at new men's homeless shelter with 80 code blue beds in Buffalo

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The ribbon has been cut on a brand-new, 24,000 square foot men’s homeless shelter and resource center in Buffalo.

Construction was officially completed by Buffalo charity Build Promise after 16 months.

The facility, located at 1297 Sycamore Street, features 96 semi-private beds, 80 code blue beds for when the weather is freezing, as well as shower, laundry, and medical services on-site.

“From day one, Build Promise was never just about building walls,” explained Stuart Harper, president of Build Promise. “It was about building hope, a place where men who have lost their footing can re-discover purpose, health, dignity, and faith.”

The project was the lifelong dream and vision of Norm Paolini and the late Amy Betros, co-founders of St. Lukes Mission of Mercy, and two community leaders who dedicated decades to helping Buffalo’s homeless population.

“They saw something most people didn’t see yet – a home for men who had lost everything,” explained Howard Rich, board chair of Build Promise. “A place not just to stay, but a place to be restored.”

Betros, who passed away back in April, was at the groundbreaking ceremony for the project. At the time, as she watched her lifelong dream beginning to materialize, she stressed the need for a facility that focuses on men: “we have been serving the needs of our Buffalo community for thirty years but felt the void in taking care of homeless men, so this is the answer to that dilemma.”

Build Promise will be collaborating with a number of community partners to offer a host of resources on-site, including mental health care, dental care, legal assistance and housing placement.

The facility will also feature other resources like family and financial literacy along with haircuts so guests can look their best as they get back on their feet.

During its grand opening, the building received a new moniker, acknowledging and honoring the legacy of Betros by naming the Build Promise ministry ‘Amy’s Place of Hope.’