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2020 was, to say the least, an interesting year to lead the Buffalo Renaissance Foundation. Despite the challenges presented, I am proud to report that our organization achieved a number of significant successes for our community.

The Buffalo Renaissance Foundation played a pivotal role in raising and distributing over $350,000 through the Western New York Feeds the Front Lines program. This initiative was responsible for providing free hot meals for our front line health care workers in the early months of the Covid pandemic.

In September, we raised a record amount at our “reimagined” annual golf outing at Wanakah Country Club. The tournament is the second longest charity event in Western New York and Covid did not hold us back.

In October, the Foundation committed $100,000 to the Westminster Economic Development Initiative for the reconstruction of an historic building in the Bailey Green Neighborhood on Buffalo’s East Side. The building will be used for offices, outreach and training for residents of the East Side of Buffalo. Covid notwithstanding, that’s a pretty good year. 2021 will be even better.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Buffalo Renaissance Foundation.  We have charted a year of community giving, communication and celebration. The Foundation has commissioned the creation of a video that will chronicle the significant positive changes in Buffalo and Western New York since 1981, the year of our inception. The video will highlight the role that the Buffalo Renaissance Foundation has played in moving Buffalo forward for the past 40 years. We are excited to share in the success of our community.

We are also excited to welcome our three newest directors Jon Notarius, Michael Ross and Damon Wojciechowski to the Foundation. All three gentlemen bring a long history of success and community involvement to our group. We look forward to their contributions to the Foundation in the years to come.

It is an honor serve as President of the Buffalo Renaissance Foundation. I am grateful for the commitment and contributions of our entire Board of Directors.  I am excited to celebrate our 40th year and continue our good work of promoting positive thinking and positive change to moving our community forward.

Michael Modrzynski
President
Buffalo Renaissance Foundation, Inc.