Buffalo coalition allocates $1 million for community support

Buffalo's Crossroad Coalition is giving away about $1 million each year to help local communities. This funding comes from the Crossroads Community Fund and aims to support frontline communities, including LGBTQ+ and Indigenous groups, as well as people of color and youth. The coalition will distribute the money through three grant programs over the next 10 years. These programs are the Peoples Fund, the Down Root Fund, and the Power Up Fund. The announcement was made at the Frank E. Merriweather Jr. Library on Tuesday. The Peoples Fund will launch a pilot project for Universal Basic Income. This program will offer direct cash assistance of $500 to $1,000 per month to 30 families on Buffalo's East Side for a year. The goal is to provide financial support to families in areas with high COVID-19 rates. Franchelle Parker, the director of Open Buffalo, emphasized that this money will help individuals cover their basic needs. The Down Root Fund focuses on community ownership and control. It offers three types of grants: Build, Create, and Preserve Grants. These grants are designed to assist local businesses in staying active in their neighborhoods. Several local businesses received $10,000 checks from this fund during the announcement. The Power Up Fund aims to enhance civic engagement in the community. It will provide educational opportunities on public policy and help individuals connect with elected officials, according to Parker. Alongside these programs, the Crossroads Coalition also donated $130,000 to the Refugee Partnership's Crisis Response Fund. This will help provide essential services like food and shelter to around 731 refugees in the area. The Crossroads Coalition was founded in 2015 and includes ten grassroots organizations that focus on community development, environmental issues, and economic growth.