Author: BNMC

BNMC Awards Grants to Catalyze Neighborhood Ideas

by BNMCin Buffalo, Community, Neighbors

Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. (BNMC) Awards Grants to Catalyze Neighborhood Ideas

Community members and organizations invited to wp-contently for the BNMC Spark micro-grant funding for community projects for 2019

The BNMC is kicking off its second year of BNMC Spark by inviting local community members and organizations to wp-contently for grant funding for projects that help strengthen the community in neighborhoods adjacent to the Medical Campus. Through BNMC Spark, a micro-grant pilot program, the BNMC will award a total of $40,000 in 2019 with maximum grants to individual organizations for $3,500 for project grants. The BNMC awarded $37,000 to 17 organizations in 2018 through BNMC Spark.

Community members and organizations are invited to submit proposals to receive funding for initiatives that advance the goals of BNMC and the local community. The BNMC’s key goals include: cultivating a safe, accessible, active and inclusive district that fosters health and wellbeing and is supported by smart, sustainable infrastructure; driving innovation, job growth, and economic development; strengthening our community with economic opportunities benefiting local youth, residents, businesses, and neighborhoods. Preference will be given to proposals that demonstrate strong community support, have strong community engagement plans, and that contribute to advancing an inclusive, vibrant community. We will give priority to projects that take place within one mile of the Medical Campus.

BNMC Spark grants are designed to help organizations address funding needs or gaps for programs or projects that can be completed in 2019. Applicants are asked to submit proposals that can be completed with the total amount awarded or for projects that have a funding gap that the grant would help complete.

According to Kyria Stephens, Community Program Manager for the BNMC, “We are thrilled to be launching our second year of BNMC Spark. We supported 17 community projects in 2018, ranging from art installations to wellness programs, preservation efforts and skills development initiatives. Our team is looking forward to another round of excellent projects that will be a catalyst to help create and grow our surrounding neighborhoods as active, vibrant places.”

Applications for BNMC Spark funding can be found at www.bnmc-old.local/spark; deadline is February 28, 2019.  If the initial written proposal is chosen, wp-contentlicants will then have an opportunity to present their ideas to a BNMC advisory group and demonstrate how it will contribute to making the neighborhood into an active, vibrant place for final consideration.  Winners will be notified by March 28, 2019.

 

BNMC Seeks Projects to Fund That Catalyze Neighborhood Ideas

by BNMCin Buffalo, Community, Neighbors

Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. (BNMC) Seeks Projects to Fund That  Catalyze Neighborhood Ideas

Community members and organizations invited to wp-contently for the BNMC Spark micro-grant funding for community projects for 2019

The BNMC is kicking off its second year of BNMC Spark by inviting local community members and organizations to wp-contently for grant funding for projects that help strengthen the community in neighborhoods adjacent to the Medical Campus. Through BNMC Spark, a micro-grant pilot program, the BNMC will award a total of $40,000 in 2019 with maximum grants to individual organizations for $3,500 for project grants. The BNMC awarded $37,000 to 17 organizations in 2018 through BNMC Spark.

Community members and organizations are invited to submit proposals to receive funding for initiatives that advance the goals of BNMC and the local community. The BNMC’s key goals include: cultivating a safe, accessible, active and inclusive district that fosters health and wellbeing and is supported by smart, sustainable infrastructure; driving innovation, job growth, and economic development; strengthening our community with economic opportunities benefiting local youth, residents, businesses, and neighborhoods. Preference will be given to proposals that demonstrate strong community support, have strong community engagement plans, and that contribute to advancing an inclusive, vibrant community. We will give priority to projects that take place within one mile of the Medical Campus.

BNMC Spark grants are designed to help organizations address funding needs or gaps for programs or projects that can be completed in 2019. Applicants are asked to submit proposals that can be completed with the total amount awarded or for projects that have a funding gap that the grant would help complete.

According to Kyria Stephens, Community Program Manager for the BNMC, “We are thrilled to be launching our second year of BNMC Spark. We supported 17 community projects in 2018, ranging from art installations to wellness programs, preservation efforts and skills development initiatives. Our team is looking forward to another round of excellent projects that will be a catalyst to help create and grow our surrounding neighborhoods as active, vibrant places.”

Applications for BNMC Spark funding can be found at www.bnmc-old.local/spark; deadline is February 28, 2019.  If the initial written proposal is chosen, wp-contentlicants will then have an opportunity to present their ideas to a BNMC advisory group and demonstrate how it will contribute to making the neighborhood into an active, vibrant place for final consideration.  Winners will be notified by March 28, 2019.

 

Talking Cities: Taking Care Is Business with Holly Gagnon

by BNMCin podcast

In this episode of #TalkingCities, Matt sits down with Holly Gagnon, President and CEO of Seneca Gaming Corporation. They speak on characteristics of a successful team, the gaming industry’s development and what it means to be a female leader in a traditionally male dominated industry. As a founding member of Global Gaming Women, Holly expresses her passion for encouraging and empowering the growth of women leaders within gaming world-wide.

Talking Cities with Raj Suchak

by BNMCin podcast

Learning How to Learn (Quickly)

Will you answer his call at 3am? If so, you might be the kind of person Raj Suchak is looking for. A self-described “technical geek who likes to tinker,” after working at Salesforce for several years Raj started Cloud62, later acquired by Huron Consulting, to help companies get the most out of their investment in Salesforce. As he built his team, he got more and more interested in finding top talent. Instead of hiring on resumes or work experiences, he hired based on character, customer service skills, hunger and grit – and taught them how to do the tasks he had needed. He is now working on a new start-up called Grit Seed, a software platform to enable companies to find and evaluate talent by cultivating opportunities and having generational impact, as well as bringing RoboThink (a STEM program for kids) to Buffalo. Raj tells Matt about being raised in Tanzania, Africa and how he was influenced by his entrepreneurial father who constantly asked Raj “the big why” questions.

Talking Cities: From Reactive to Operationally Excellent, Featuring Luis Taveras

by BNMCin podcast

From Reactive to Operationally Excellent

Luis talks about his transition into government after spending his entire career working in the public sector; how he’s transforming city hall from a reactive organization to one that’s “operationally excellent”; and his thoughts on Open Data Buffalo and how a new Data 101 course will teach the public how to use the data provided to make a meaningful impact on their lives.

 

More People Taking Public Transit and Walking to Work on the BNMC Than Ever Before

by BNMCin BNMC Team, Campus-wide, Commuting, Employees, Member Institution(s), Students, Transportation

More People Taking Public Transit and Walking to Work on the BNMC Than Ever Before

Percentage of Employees Driving Alone to Medical Campus Drops, NFTA Bus & Rail Numbers Increase as BNMC Expands Efforts to Provide Alternative Transportation Options

More than 15,000 people work and study across the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus each day. As this number has nearly doubled over the past decade, the BNMC team actively works to create a safe, accessible destination while building a sustainable transportation system for employees, neighbors, and the community.

BNMC’s most recent employee survey shows that the percentage of employees driving alone has dropped to 80%, down significantly from 88% in 2012 and 84% in 2016. The percentage of employees taking public transportation has increased to 11%, up from 4% in 2012 and 7% in 2016. The percentage of employees walking to work is at 4%, a substantial increase from 1% in both 2012 and 2016.

Every several years, the BNMC team works with our transportation partners within the BNMC institutions to survey employees on how they get to work.

“We are definitely pleased with the direction our numbers are heading. We work very closely with our regional transportation partners to create convenient, safe, and affordable options for employees, patients, and visitors to get to the BNMC,” said Bill Smith, BNMC’s director of access and transportation. “Most recently, we partnered with NFTA to establish and pilot the first Corporate Pass Program, which allowed employers to provide a less expensive option for employees interested in riding the light rail to work.”

Recent workforce data on the BNMC showed an increase of employees who live within the City of Buffalo and in particular within the zip codes touching the BNMC. Our team also works closely with leaders from the BNMC institutions’ human resources and hiring teams, to ensure that we are continuing to increase access to job opportunities on the BNMC. In 2017, one-third of the new hires in our larger institutions were from the surrounding neighborhoods, and nearly 40% live in the city.

Electric Vehicles 101

by BNMCin Campus-wide, Education, Electric Vehicles, Employees, Energy, Environment, Infrastructure, Sustainability

Did you know that the BNMC has installed more than 30 electric vehicle charging stations (EVCS) across the Medical Campus, with the ability to charge almost 50 vehicles? We are committed to ensuring that our infrastructure supports sustainable transportation, everything from making it easy to charge electric vehicles, to installing hundreds of additional bike racks, to providing reduced-rate transit passes. We are building an innovation district known for accessible, environmentally-forward ways for everyone to get here.
With so much talk about electric vehicles and charging station infrastructure, we thought we should help answer some questions we hear often. What is an electric vehicle, what isn’t, and why should I care? Here’s a quick Electric Vehicles 101.

Your basic conventional car runs on an internal combustion engine: you add gasoline, it ignites and releases energy that is translated into motion. In the process, however, the vehicle releases carbon dioxide, one of the greenhouse gases contributing to climate change. In the United States, the transportation sector is responsible for 28% of our greenhouse gas emissions, more than any other sector (hint: this is part of why you should care!). Learn more about how our team is a part of the national conversation.

An electric vehicle (EV), in contrast, runs on an electric current. There are three main types of vehicle commonly called “electric”, and it’s worth knowing the difference:

  1. Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) run only on electricity. With a BEV, you charge the car’s battery with electricity. That battery then powers the electric motor, which propels the car forward. Since the car itself is not burning a fuel to generate movement, there are no tail-pipe emissions. Instead, the carbon footprint of a BEV depends on how the electricity that runs it is produced.
  2. Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) combine a battery-powered electric motor with an internal combustion engine. You charge your vehicle with electricity and use it much like an all-electric vehicle. However, if and when you run out of charge, the gasoline provides fuel as a back-up. While running only on electricity, a PHEV’s carbon footprint again depends on the fuel mix that generated the electricity. As soon as the internal combustion engine switches on, the engine’s tail-pipe emissions add to the vehicle’s carbon footprint.
  3. Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) also combine an internal combustion engine and an electric propulsion system. However, you cannot plug them in to charge them with electricity, so they are not strictly speaking “EVs”. However, HEVs are more efficient than traditional internal combustion engines because they take advantage of technologies such as regenerative braking.

The more you know!

MWBE Pitch & Roundtable Event

by BNMCin Community, Employees, Member Institution(s), MWBE, Networking, Workforce and Procurement

MWBE Pitch & Roundtable Event

More than 75 small business owners and buyers from local institutions attended the MWBE Pitch & Roundtable on October 23, presented by the BNMC, ECMC, Kaleida Health, Roswell Park, and the University at Buffalo.  The event included an opportunity for some of the small business owners to pitch their company directly to the purchasers in the room (including the other small businesses), and also a roundtable discussion featuring several MWBE business owners who have formed successful business relationships with the institutions on hand.  This event is part of the BNMC’s ongoing efforts to connect local small businesses with large purchasers to help grow the economy in our community.

Small Business Pitch Presentations 
Aitina Cooke Heather Sidorowicz 
Get Fokus’d Productions Southtown Audio Video
Katie Krawczyk Sabina Ramsey
19 IDEAS Insight International
Joseph W. Call Luanne DiBernardo
Call Associates Inc. Coolture
Amanda Coniglio Lena Levine
Calvary Safety & Security Lena Levine Studio
Eva Lana Jazslyn Leon
Wellacopia Executive Sweeps LLC
Esteban Guerrero  Jennifer E. Cooper
In His Hands Electric Cooper Sign Company
Tracy Jordan-Cardwell Terrence Gidney
TJC PR Affordable Scrubs
Nichole Perry
Med-Scribe, Inc.

Talking Cities: Destination Marketing Is Economic Development, Featuring Patrick Kaler

by BNMCin podcast

This week on #TalkingCities we are joined by Patrick Kaler, chief Buffalo booster. Patrick moved to Buffalo several years ago to head up Visit Buffalo Niagara after spending time in Chicago, Lake Tahoe, and Loudon County (or “DC’s wine country”). He talks about becoming the youngest executive director of a destination marketing organization in the state of Illinois, and how he reacted when a headhunter pitched him a job in Buffalo, NY. He highlights his pride in how his team worked to get Buffalo named on the NY Times 52 Places to Travel in 2018 and the challenges behind the Buffalo Convention Center, the oldest convention center without a significant expansion or renovation in the country.
 

Small Businesses Invited to Connect with Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus Institutions and Partners

by BNMCin Campus-wide, Community, Employees, MWBE, Procurement, Small Businesses

Small Businesses Invited to Connect with Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus Institutions and Partners

Minority, women and veteran-owned businesses a focus for event that includes pitches, networking, presentations on how to do business on the Medical Campus

Small, local businesses, particularly those that are minority, women or veteran-owned, are invited to participate in an upcoming BNMC pitch, roundtable discussion, and networking session designed to connect business owners with those that make purchasing decisions for the institutions on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus and partner institutions. The event is free and open to all local small businesses and buyers who make purchasing decisions.

The event will be held on Tuesday, October 23 from 1:00 pm  – 4:00 pm (registration begins at 12:30 pm) at the University at Buffalo’s (UB) Arthur O. Eve Educational Opportunity Center (EOC) at 555 Ellicott Street. The event will include brief (three minutes or less) pitch presentations by 15 local, minority and women-owned businesses, followed by a chance to informally network with representatives from the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus institutions and other participating businesses. The last session will be a roundtable discussion with representatives from UB, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Kaleida Health, and Erie County Medical Center on how to do business with each institution, as well as a chance to hear from Rodriquez Construction Group, Golden Cup, and CARA Medical about how they have been successful working with these large institutions. Interested participants can register at pitchbnmc.eventbrite.com.

The event is designed for any local and women, minority and veteran business owners who want to learn how to do business with large institutions.  Area employers are also encouraged to participate in the event.

This event is sponsored by the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. (BNMC), and UB’s Educational Opportunity Center, in partnership with UB, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Kaleida Health and Erie County Medical Center.

Fall Safety Reminder

by BNMCin Employees, Safety, Transportation

The days are getting shorter, and before we know it, snow will be falling and holiday tunes will be inescapable. With the change of the season upon us,  it’s good timing to practice thoughtful parking lot safety. Although the distractions are tempting, try to avoid texting, listening to music, or talking on the phone when walking to and from your car. Looking down or wp-contentearing preoccupied can make you easily targetable.
Here are some important tips and reminders to stay safe this season:

  1. Don’t leave gifts or valuables visible
  2. Be cautious and aware of your surroundings when walking in the parking lot – keeping your head up and shoulders back
  3. Don’t assume drivers can see you, even when you see them
  4. Remember to wear proper footwear especially when it’s snowing and the grounds are slick
  5. Consider buddying up or walking in groups
  6. Walk in well-lit areas

Tobacco-Free BNMC

by BNMCin Employees, Environment, Health care, Healthy Communities, Wellness

A reminder that the entire Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus is tobacco-free. As a Medical Campus, the health and safety of our patients, visitors, and employees is our top priority. Please help us to build a culture of health here and don’t make our visitors and employees breathe second-hand smoke. Need help quitting? Contact the NYS Smokers’ Quitline today.

BNMC & UB Celebrate Computer Science & Engineering Month at AI & Machine Learning Summit

by BNMCin BNMC Team, Collaboration, Community, Education, Innovation, Technology

BNMC & UB Celebrate Computer Science & Engineering Month at AI & Machine Learning Summit

October is Computer Science & Engineering Month, and the BNMC celebrated on Friday, October 5th by hosting an AI & Machine Learning Summit with the University at Buffalo! More than 200 students, faculty, and industry professionals attended the event, which was held at UB Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences on the Medical Campus. BNMC’s CEO, Matt Enstice, welcomed the crowd and addressed the future of health care and medicine with the disruption of technology, followed by a keynote from Dr. Sargur Srihari, SUNY Distinguished Professor in the UB Dept. of Computer Science & Engineering.

The evening then led into a technical roundtable, comprised of Dr. David Doermann, SUNY Empire Innovation Professor & Program Manager for DARPA, Robert Ruocco, CIO for BlueCross BlueShield of WNY, and George Small, CTO at Moog, Inc. BNMC’s CIO, Sam Marrazzo, moderated the discussion, which focused on how AI and machine learning is currently affecting their organizations and visions for the future, as well as how they’re preparing for the next wave of technology. BNMC is proud to have hosted this event with our partners, and we look forward to continue building and supporting a culture of technology in Buffalo.

 

Talking Cities: Creating a Digital Disruption, Featuring Lorenz Gan

by BNMCin podcast

Talking Cities: Creating a Digital Disruption

This week, Matt talks with Lorenz Gan, Chief Information Officer at New Era Cap. Lorenz is responsible for the strategy and execution behind the digital revolution at the iconic 98 year old global brand.  They talk about his move from Australia in search of the “Big Smoke” – first London and then New York City. He played a leading role at luxury fashion house Burberry when its goal was to become the #1 digital luxury brand in the world, and he led the company through a number of fashion “firsts,” including being the first to live stream fashion shows and utilize augmented reality. He talks about how he was recruited to Buffalo from NYC (in January!), and why it was the right move for his career and his family. They also discuss the importance of integrating technology to grow a global brand and the role of sports to a city’s psyche.

Talking Cities: News Where You Are, Featuring Warren Colville

by BNMCin podcast

News Where You Are

Hear from Warren Colville, President of The Buffalo News, and self-described family man, army brat and wine connoisseur. Warren talks about the changing media landscape in the world of fake news; how to navigate the tides of technology by innovating and diversifying revenue streams; and his thoughts on the future of the newspaper business.

Infrastructure Improvement Alert!

by BNMCin Employees, Infrastructure, Transportation

The City of Buffalo will be paving the following streets on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus from Monday, October 8ththrough Friday, October 12th. There will be no parking on these blocks beginning 10/8 at 12:01am. Work is anticipated to take a week (weather permitting). Traffic will be maintained via flag persons. The impacted blocks are: High Street from Main to Ellicott, Washington Street from High to Virginia, and Virginia Street from Ellicott to Michigan. Employees are asked to please take other routes through the Medical Campus if possible to ensure ease of patients and visitors in getting to their destination.
PLEASE NOTE: Asphalt is placed at temperatures in the 240-270 degrees Fahrenheit range. For your safety, please avoid stepping onto freshly placed asphalt!

Worksite Wellness: Beth Machnica takes on role of Buffalo’s healthy company advocate

by BNMCin BNMC Team, Employees, Healthy Communities, Wellness

Worksite Wellness: Beth Machnica takes on role of Buffalo’s healthy company advocate

By  – Copy Editor, Buffalo Business First

Worksite wellness is a hot topic and here’s why: For every $1 a company spends on a comprehensive wellness program, $8 can be saved in health care costs by lowering medication usage, surgeries or preventing illness and disease over five years.

That’s a solid return on investment, said Beth Machnica, healthy communities catalyst for Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus Inc.

She’s leading the charge to see the region gain “company health champions” of all sizes and in every industry. And she’s doing it through the Buffalo Healthy Workplace Initiative, led by BNMC and funded by a five-year grant from the state Department of Health.

It’s linked to a public health effort titled “Creating Healthy Schools and Communities,” whose goal is to reduce major risk factors of obesity, diabetes and other chronic diseases.

“The Buffalo Healthy Workplace Initiative is a platform for collectively transforming workplaces into environments of health promotion, one step at a time,” Machnica said.

She is tasked with bringing together diverse employers to learn from each other, develop best practices and improve their focus on creating a healthier workplace.

Indeed, a company’s overall environment and culture influence the health of people who work there, she said, from such things as air quality to the type of lighting, infrastructure that supports physical activity and access to healthy food in vending machines and cafeterias. It’s also important to address social, emotional and mental health components.

“Through this initiative, BNMC makes recommendations for how workplaces can improve after an initial benchmarking exercise on these components,” she said.

Hwp-contenty and healthy employees are more productive, and offering a strong wellness program “is a huge competitive advantage that many are beginning to realize,” she said.

Have local businesses stepped up to the plate on this? Although Buffalo is home to the chicken wing, there is great momentum among local employers and insurers in being places of health. Some worksites have been at it for quite some time. They have state-of-the-art gyms, showers, walking treadmills, free healthy lunch and snacks, personal training, chair massage, stress management and financial wellness classes. Other local companies are just getting their feet wet in the space.

How can you help? BNMC has varying levels of resources, technical assistance, infrastructure and equipment to provide organizations at any level of wellness to expand and/or improve their current programs.

Can companies learn from each other and share ideas? We help companies learn from each other and share ideas through our work council model. Each month we bring together representatives from each of the organizations involved. Most times we meet at the Innovation Center on the medical campus and focus on a certain topic, such as Social Determinants of Health, Cross Generational Differences, or Active Transportation in relation to a wellness program. Sometimes we meet at other worksites to get a tour of their facilities and get a presentation of their wellness program. The majority of participants have reported in our annual survey the biggest benefit from attending these meetings other than the content is the opportunity to network.

What drives you to make difference? I am passionate about the work I do. I feel strongly about preventive health; I want to prevent chronic disease in the population as a whole more so than I want to work with individuals. Our health care system is so focused on treating sick people. I think we need to focus more on prevention altogether. And in order to do that, changes in our environment and changes at the systems level are needed, which can make a larger impact than treating people individually and putting Band Aids on things. For me, the workplace wellness space is a perfect fit to address preventive health in the population at the systems level.

What’s the bottom line? Organizations must be strategic in offering a strong wellness program that is relevant to the unique needs of their population and invest in their employees’ health. It takes time to change a habit, behavior, lifestyle and overall a workplace culture. The return, monetary or otherwise, will come with time.

What makes the timing right for this initiative? Health and wellness is trendy right now in general. With healthy food spots opening up and free yoga everywhere, Buffalo is becoming a landscape for health and well-being. Employers are catching on to this and expanding the variety of diversity of wellness offerings as a result.

Talking Cities: Problem Solving with Music, Featuring JoAnn Falletta

by BNMCin podcast

Talking Cities with Matt EnsticeProblem Solving with Music

In this episode, Matt talks with JoAnn Falletta, Music Director of Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, about falling in love with music as a little girl and what it felt like to play her first guitar; her travels around the country and world as a Conductor, and the role music plays in cities; and music’s powerful affect on the brain and our lives.

 

BNMC Receives USDA Grant to Enhance Local Food Procurement Efforts in Health Care

by BNMCin BNMC Team, Buffalo, Community, Healthy Communities, Homepage, Member Institution(s)

BNMC Receives USDA Grant to Enhance Local Food Procurement Efforts in Health Care

Three-Year, $351K Grant Prioritizes Local Agriculture from New York State

Buffalo, NY – October 1, 2018 – The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. (BNMC) has received a $260,325 grant to create a model for health care institutions to integrate technology and cultivate a culture of healthy food practices to increase local food procurement. The grant includes a local match of $91,063 bringing the project total to $351,388. The BNMC is one of 44 organizations around the country, and one of only 4 organizations to receive funding in New York State,  through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP) during this grant cycle.

“Increasing access to local foods, especially in a place with such robust agriculture and other locally-sourced food, is good for the health of our people and good for the health of our economy,” said Jonathan McNeice, project director for the grant and director of healthy communities efforts for the BNMC.  “Supporting local food procurement is part of our overall effort to continue to create a culture of health and wellbeing both on the BNMC and throughout our region.”

This grant builds upon the more than $2M in public and private funding that the BNMC and its community partners have secured over the past fifteen years to support healthy eating, healthy worksites, and active living policies and programs in Western New York.

BNMC’s Farm-to-Hospital Initiative began in 2015 with a $25,000 grant from the USDA Local Food Promotion Program to assess feasibility for sourcing local food on the Medical Campus. The process included identifying champions inside each organization, providing learning opportunities, gathering data, engaging suppliers, partnering with experts in the field, and creating a foundational plan for future implementation. This project will now shift to an implementation phase and seek to work with food service providers, hospital staff, and farmers dedicated to this initiative and partner closely with Health Care Without Harm to implement a local model on the BNMC. Health Care without Harm is an international group dedicated to transforming health care worldwide to reduce its environmental footprint and become a leader in sustainability, environmental health, and justice.

“BNMC Fresh: Farm to Hospital Implementation” will create a model that prioritizes local agriculture from New York State, enabling farms to access new markets (hospitals), and can be replicated across the state. The initiative aims to establish enhanced food chain transparency from farmers to distributors to institutions; as well as implement customized crop plans in both hospitals that merge New York State’s top crops with institutional demand.

This collaborative work is expected to create a culture that embraces local farms through prioritizing local procurement; establishes and expands community supported agriculture (CSA) and farmers’ market programs; establishes food chain transparency; increases awareness and knowledge among consumers of local food procurement efforts; and provides knowledge and skill-building opportunities to agribusiness stakeholders (farmers, distributor, food service teams). This project ultimately aims to make local procurement a regular practice and culture among health care institutions.

“Roswell Park has been thrilled to partner with the BNMC on both the planning grant and the upcoming implementation grant,” said Christina Dibble, director of nutrition and food services at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. “Given the unique needs of cancer patients, we’ve made it a priority to provide seasonal, local foods for our patients, visitors, and employees when available, and we look forward to expanding our local offerings through channels that this grant opens up for us.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $102.7 million to increase opportunities for farmers, ranchers, and other growers across the country through five grant programs. The funding supports a variety of locally-led projects intended to expand markets for local food promotion and specialty crops. Of that total, $13.45 million is directed to 44 projects, including the BNMC’s, to support the development and expansion of local and regional food businesses to increase domestic consumption of, and access to, locally and regionally produced agricultural products, and to develop new market opportunities for farm and ranch operations serving local markets through the Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP).

 About the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus

 The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. (BNMC) is a multi-anchor social enterprise focused on driving innovation in partnership with our community. As the non-profit charged with addressing shared issues among our member institutions, the BNMC plays a significant role in driving positive change that builds a vibrant, innovative environment. We focus on improving infrastructure, managing our transportation system, creating a culture of health and wellbeing, driving innovation, and working with our partners to continue to build an innovative district that reflects the best of our community.

BNMC Joins Auto, Utility, Labor & Environment Leaders Unveiling Report Charting Path to Cut Transportation Energy Use in Half

by BNMCin Electric Vehicles, Energy, Innovation, Sustainability, Transportation

BNMC Joins Auto, Utility, Labor & Environment Leaders Unveiling Report Charting Path to Cut Transportation Energy Use in Half

Matthew K. Enstice, BNMC CEO, Serving on National Commission Launching Campaign to Capitalize on New Technologies and Huge Economic Opportunities to Save Energy

WASHINGTON – September 26, 2018 –A prominent national transportation commission, including the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC), released a new report today and launched a campaign to cut U.S. transportation energy use by 50 percent by 2050 (dubbed the “50×50” goal) while also improving mobility. Read the column on this initiative in today’s Buffalo News.

Amid rapidly evolving transportation trends like ride-sharing, electrification, autonomous vehicles, and other technologies, the Alliance to Save Energy’s 50×50 Commission on U.S. Transportation Sector Efficiency issued consensus recommendations calling on policymakers – at all levels of government – to act urgently in a coordinated manner to lead a successful energy efficiency transformation of the transportation sector.

“As the U.S. transportation system continues to evolve, it is critical that we develop an integrated, leading-edge wp-contentroach connecting technology, urban planning, and optimization,” said Matthew K. Enstice, CEO, Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. “Our goal is to improve broad community access to an equitable and sustainable transportation system, with an eye on reducing energy use and meeting future mobility needs. From supporting infrastructure and technology to increase electric vehicle use and piloting autonomous vehicles to integrating artificial intelligence and improving streetscape design, we are building the system of the future.”

The 50×50 Commission is a diverse coalition of leading vehicle manufacturers, utilities, environmental and consumer groups, unions, technology companies, and public officials, including Pittsburgh Mayor William Peduto (D) and Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price (R). The group says the U.S. could fall behind foreign competitors if federal, state, and local policymakers don’t act to adopt the policy recommendations.

Transportation represents roughly one-third of U.S. energy consumption and recently displaced electricity generation as the leading source of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. It’s also the second biggest daily expense for American families. Demand for transportation services is set to rise significantly in the future, potentially increasing congestion on U.S. roads, and putting more stress on the already overburdened public transportation systems. But these challenges can be overcome. The 50×50 Commission united to develop a policy agenda that seizes the opportunities of new transportation technologies and business models to transform mobility for passengers and goods while using energy more efficiently.

“Right now, we have the chance to shape the future for the better, achieving multiple goals at once. We can simultaneously unlock innovation and new technologies and make mobility easier, faster, and better, all while using dramatically less energy,” said Jason Hartke, president of the Alliance to Save Energy, which convened the Commission. “Charting the right path now will help us avoid unpredictable fuel costs, rising greenhouse gas emissions, and lost American competitiveness. These policy recommendations set the course to make transportation more accessible and convenient for all while cutting our energy use dramatically.”

The Commission’s report, released at a forum in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday morning, provides recommendations to policymakers focused on three themes, including:

Transform. Policymakers should not only seek to enhance the energy efficiency of vehicles and components, but also to capitalize on new technologies to transition to an efficient, integrated, and improved “transportation services” model. Transportation services should be allocated efficiently, affordably, and effectively according to geographic and service needs, with policies encouraging consumers to select the most efficient transportation modes.

Innovate. The U.S. should prioritize its leadership in pursuing research, development, deployment, and demonstration for efficient transportation innovation opportunities. Congress and federal agencies should continue to support the development of electric vehicles, which are currently the most efficient vehicles on the market. Federal agencies should maximize their impact through measures including public-private partnerships that stimulate research into market-transformational technologies.

Invest. Policymakers should focus on improving the efficiency of all vehicle types by promoting fuel economy standards and accelerating vehicle turnover and incentivizing the deployment of and infrastructure for energy-efficient vehicles, especially electric vehicles (battery-electric vehicles and hydrogen electric vehicles), plug-in and non-plug in hybrid vehicles, and highly efficient vehicles running on renewable natural gas. Policymakers should support electric vehicles, which are highly efficient, through standardization of adaptors and customer experience, the promotion of practices to ensure optimal grid stability, and the redesign of the Highway Trust Fund to ensure the growth of efficient vehicles is balanced with equitably-funded infrastructure investments. Such solutions should take equity and jobs into account by ensuring low-income and under-served consumers have access to improved mobility and ensuring a well-prepared workforce through the sector’s transitions.

The 50×50 Commission includes Scott Keogh, President, Audi of America (co-chair); Dean Seavers, President, US, National Grid (co-chair); Melissa E. Adams, Chief Corporate Social Responsibility Officer, WGL Holdings/Washington Gas; John Di Stasio, President, Large Public Power Council; Bruce Edelston, VP, Energy Policy, Southern Company; Matt Enstice, President & CEO, Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus; Jack Gillis, Executive Director, Consumer Federation of America; Thomas R. Kuhn, President, Edison Electric Institute; Eric J. McCarthy, Senior Vice President, Government Relations, Public Policy and Legal Affairs, Proterra; Arlen Orchard, CEO & GM, Sacramento Municipal Utility District; Giovanni Palazzo, CEO, Electrify America; Thomas S. Passek, President, Copper Development Association; Gil C. Quiniones, President & CEO, New York Power Authority; Norman Saari, Commissioner, Michigan Public Service Commission; Kevin B. Self, SVP of Strategy, Business Develop & Government Relations, Schneider Electric; Paul Skoutelas, President & CEO, American Public Transportation Association; Lonnie Stephenson, International President, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers; Rhea Suh, President, Natural Resources Defense Council; Dan Turton, VP, North America Public Policy, General Motors; Bert Van Hoof, Partner – Group Program Manager, Microsoft; Ted Walker, Managing Director, Navigant; and Greg White, Executive Director, National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners.

The Commission’s recommendations were informed by the work of more than 100 experts from across the country serving on technical committees. The committees issued five “sector baseline” reports evaluating a wide range of transportation sectors and technologies. The technical committees were chaired by Robert Chapman, Vice President, Energy and Environment, Electric Power Research Institute; Robert Horton, Vice President, Environmental Affairs, DFW International Airport; Roy Kuga, Vice President, Grid Integration & Innovation, PG&E Corporation; Dr. Philip Lavrich, Director, Strategy and Advanced Technologies, Ingersoll Rand; and Patricia Monahan, Program Director, Transportation, Energy Foundation.

The 50×50 Commission’s full report and biographical information for all Commissioners is available at: www.50x50transportation.org. Quotes from Commissioners and Technical Committee Chairs are included below, followed by press contacts for all Commission organizations.

About the BNMC

The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. (BNMC) is a multi-anchor social enterprise focused on driving innovation in partnership with our community. As the non-profit charged with addressing shared issues among our member institutions, the BNMC plays a significant role in driving positive change that builds a vibrant, innovative environment. We focus on improving infrastructure, managing our transportation system, creating a culture of health and wellbeing, driving innovation, and working with our partners to continue to build an innovative district that reflects the best of our community. Learn more at bnmc-old.local.

About the Alliance to Save Energy

Founded in 1977, the Alliance to Save Energy is a nonprofit, bipartisan alliance of business, government, environmental and consumer leaders working to expand the economy while using less energy. Our mission is to promote energy productivity worldwide – including through energy efficiency – to achieve a stronger economy, a cleaner environment and greater energy security, affordability and reliability.

Contact: Kari Bonaro, BNMC, kbonaro@bnmc-old.local, 202-904-7034

BNMC Stands with National Coalition in Announcing Policy Recommendations to Transform, Innovate and Invest to Reduce Transportation Energy Consumption in the US

by BNMCin Energy, Innovation, Sustainability, Technology, Transportation

BNMC Stands with National Coalition in Announcing Policy Recommendations to Transform, Innovate and Invest to Reduce Transportation Energy Consumption in the US

A prominent national transportation commission, including the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC), released a new report today and launched a campaign to cut U.S. transportation energy use by 50 percent by 2050 (dubbed the “50×50” goal) while also improving mobility.

Amid rapidly evolving transportation trends like ride-sharing, electrification, autonomous vehicles, and other technologies, the Alliance to Save Energy’s 50×50 Commission on U.S. Transportation Sector Efficiency issued consensus recommendations calling on policymakers – at all levels of government – to act urgently in a coordinated manner to lead a successful energy efficiency transformation of the transportation sector.

“As the U.S. transportation system continues to evolve, it is critical that we develop an integrated, leading-edge wp-contentroach connecting technology, urban planning, and optimization,” said Matthew K. Enstice, CEO, Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. “Our goal is to improve broad community access to an equitable and sustainable transportation system, with an eye on reducing energy use and meeting future mobility needs. From supporting infrastructure and technology to increase electric vehicle use and piloting autonomous vehicles to integrating artificial intelligence and improving streetscape design, we are building the system of the future.”

The BNMC is part of a diverse national coalition of stakeholders – including automakers, technology companies, utilities, mayors, environmental and labor leaders – dedicated to setting a policy agenda to reach these goals. Matt Enstice is a founding member of the coalition established in November 2017. Read the BNMC’s press release on the recommendations and the column in the Buffalo News about its importance.

The BNMC received the EE Visionary Americas Award from the Alliance to Save Energy in 2012, one of four international leaders in energy to receive prestigious awards from the global organization that year.

Buffalo Chosen as Model City to Host Healthy Community Convening

by BNMCin Community, Healthy Communities, Wellness

Buffalo Chosen as Model City to Host Healthy Community Convening

In 2015, the BNMC received a five-year Creating Healthy Schools and Communities grant from the NYS Department of Health to create healthier workplaces and increases access to healthy affordable foods in underserved communities in the city of Buffalo. This year we are pleased to be hosting the annual conference for our fellow grantees in Buffalo.

Chosen for its many healthy living initiatives, Buffalo, NY will hold the third annual convening of the Creating Healthy Schools and Communities (CHSC) grantees, hosted by the New York Obesity Prevention Center for Excellence (OPCE). For the past three years, 25 CHSC grantees and their partners have been working with schools, businesses, government, and other groups to ensure places throughout New York State provide access to healthy foods and beverages and opportunities for physical activity.

Convening attendees will have the opportunity to experience Buffalo’s bike and car shares, visit an urban farm, learn firsthand about Buffalo Public School’s (BPS) wellness efforts, and go to several healthy workplaces such as the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC). As a CHSC partner, BNMC will showcase its demonstration sites for healthy workplaces, including healthy subsidized vending, Farm to Work programs, treadmill and standing desks, and onsite fitness facility equipped with locker rooms and showers.

The BNMC has also been involved in Buffalo’s healthy corner store initiative, a collaborative coalition of representatives from various organizations working to increase healthy food retail throughout the city, as well as the BPS wellness policy and its Farm-to-School efforts

BNMC to Host NYSERDA Electric Vehicle Ride + Drive Event

by BNMCin Uncategorized

Curious about what it is like to drive an electric vehicle (EV)?

Come experience the quiet, fast, and smooth ride for yourself!

Join us at the NYSERDA EV Ride & Drive event to test drive a variety of electric vehicles and learn about available savings and incentives! This free event is open to employees who work on the BNMC and members of the community.

Date: Thursday, September 20th

Time: 10:30 AM-2:30 PM

Place: 589 Ellicott St. (parking lot)

The BNMC was the region’s earliest adopter of electric vehicle charging station infrastructure, installing 21 units in 2011. Currently there are 46  stations across the Medical Campus, making it even easier for employees, visitors, and neighbors to “green” their commute using electric vehicles.