The holiday season is a time for giving. Not just gifts for friends and family, but for those who you have never met before. In this case, I am referring to Buffalo’s newest neighbors, the refugee population that continues to grow in areas such as the West Side. While monetary support is always the best form of help that one can give, there are plenty of amenities that are always welcome by newly arrived families. Buffalo is lucky to have an organization such as Vive that helps to get refugees acclimated to a foreign environment and back on their feet as soon as possible.
“Most people do not know that the nation’s largest refugee shelter is right here, in Buffalo. Located in a renovated school building at 50 Wyoming Street–on Buffalo’s Ease Side– Vive offers food, clothing, shelter, and legal assistance to refugees from around the world. Today, there are over 100 people staying at Vive, including 35 children.” – Vive, 2013
Throughout the course of the year, Vive welcomes all forms of support, but this time of year in particular, the needs are many for families that come to this country with just the clothing on their backs. “Vive was like a home for me,” said a 20 year-old male from Eritrea. “I was there from Nov. 7, 2010 to June 28, 2011. I moved many times, but I never felt comfortable like I felt at Vive. There are many things I learned there. I learned how to make contact with people from different cultures. I learned to how respect the rules and ‘to wake up early sometimes’. I think Vive is the best shelter in NY or the US for refugees, because it’s a safe and comfortable place. Workers at Vive make the shelter more acceptable for people who had a better life back home. They also try their best to keep the refugees safe. The best things about Vive are 1) everybody has a job, so we all work to keep Vive going, 2) we get free Internet access in the teen room and the TV room, and 3) there is a private prayer room for all the religions.”
One of the many mothers at Vive expressed her experience in this way: “I have a 10 month old daughter, Sara, when I came to Vive, Inc. we were welcomed and taken in. I am here waiting for asylum into the United States. It is a long journey. Vive’s staff has provided me with food, shelter, clothing and medical help for myself and daughter. I find it a peaceful and safe place. I have met many people even an elder women who is like my grandma. She speaks my language and she helps me with my daughter’s care. We are “family” here at Vive.”
In order to find our what the real needs are for Vive, I reached out to the shelter to see how people could help this holiday season. The response that came back was, “Vive invites you to participate in helping refugees/asylum seekers to freedom. Your gift to Vive is a gift for freedom. This gift can be funding for food for the children and mothers; a gift of soap for laundry and cleaning; a gift of shoes and socks for the men who work. These are just a few of the many possible opportunities where your dollars can make a difference in the refugees’ lives. If you would like to learn more about Vive (Vive La Casa), we invite you to visit us on-site.
To schedule tours or submit requests for presentations about Vive, please contact Sr. Mary Reichelderfer, Faith Based Coordinator, at (716) 892-4354 ext. 415 or via email: mreichelderfer@viveinc.org.
Following is a list of items that the shelter is hoping to receive in days ahead:
Personal hygiene items (e.g. toothpaste, soap, lotion, mouthwash, OTC medicines), socks, flip-flops, new linens/pillows, etc. are greatly appreciated. In addition, food items such as white rice, cooking oils, sugar, and spices are needed.
Currently, we have the greatest need for the following Wish List items:
Men’s Razors
Newborn Diapers
Diapers (size 1)
Pull Ups for boys and girls
Kleenex tissue (in the box)
Body wash, bathing soap
Hair conditioner
Liquid soap for hands
Vaseline
Flip Flops (all sizes for children, men and women)
Please contact Sr. Mary Reichelderfer, Faith Based Coordinator, at (716) 892-4355 Ext. 415 or mreichelderfer@viveinc.org for drop-off times and other items needed.
In-Kind Services
Donations of your time or talent is always a need at Vive. Below are some of the services Vive is looking for:
carpenters
drivers
plumbers
painters
general maintenance workers
child care aides
teachers, especially ESL
Please contact Sr. Mary Reichelderfer, Faith Based Coordinator, at (716) 892-4355 Ext. 415 or mreichelderfer@viveinc.org for any in-kind services you wish to offer to assist Vive