IDEA Center Helps Design BNMC Touch Model to Improve Wayfinding for All

by Maria Morrealein Campus-wide, Innovation Center

BUFFALO NY– The Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental (IDEA) at the University at Buffalo’s School of Architecture and Planning, and Touch Graphics, Inc., collaborated to create a multi-sensory interactive 3D touch model to assist with orientation and wayfinding on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC).

The IDEA Center received a generous gift from the Chur Foundation in January 2021 and used the funds to design, develop, and install the model.

The recently unveiled interactive model is located at the BNMC’s Innovation Center, a home base for campus tours, and a site providing services for over 100 start-up companies and serving as a hub for research and knowledge exchange. The touch model allows users to preview the campus layout, locate buildings, and identify travel routes prior to setting out for their destinations. A user-friendly touch interface that includes visual, auditory, and tactile outputs allows visitors to simply hear or see information related to both the campus and individual buildings.  

All features of the model are touch responsive, including roads, parks, parking lots, and Metro stations. Additional features for accessibility and legibility include braille labels and aerial photographs of building rooftops printed on the 3D buildings.

Jamie Hamann-Burney, Director of Planning and Implementation at BNMC said “We are so grateful to our colleagues at the IDEA Center for bringing this project to us. The model unites a range of technologies being developed at the Center that will speed the creation of more inclusive environments for everyone.” 

The design of the model was developed by first documenting the campus, drawing digital models of the campus’ buildings and landscape, 3D printing the buildings, and laser printing a tactile skin of the landscape. The 3D buildings were treated with a conductive layer and then both tactile skin and the 3D buildings were adhered to the large touch screen. The model works by simple touch commands including tapping once to hear the name of the building and a second time to hear descriptive information. An application was developed to listen to finger touch and provide a corresponding audio description.

“The touch model is an excellent example of how inclusive technology benefits a broad range of users. We’re hoping that this touch model is not only useful for the visitors and staff of the BNMC, but also inspires the thought leaders and tech developers at the Innovation Center to consider the needs of individuals with disabilities in their own work.” Heamchand Subryan, Director of Interaction Design at the IDEA Center.

In addition to the BNMC, similar touch models have been installed at large tech companies, museums, and a national park. The BNMC touch model demonstrates how integrating universal design into wayfinding technology can benefit all visitors and serves as a best practice for similar maps at other medical campuses.


About the IDEA Center

Aside from this project, the IDEA Center, part of the University at Buffalo’s School of Architecture and Planning, is also collaborating with colleagues at the Toronto Rehab Institute/University Health Network and the U. of Pittsburgh on a National Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (RERC) on Universal Design in the Built Environment and partnering with Carnegie Mellon University on a five-year RERC project to advance public transportation for people with disabilities. Both initiatives are funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR). 

The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, a flagship institution in the State University of New York system and its largest and most comprehensive campus. UB’s more than 28,000 students pursue their academic interests through more than 300 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs. Founded in 1846, the University at Buffalo is a member of the Association of American Universities.

About Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus  

For more than twenty years, The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus organization (BNMC) has been a driving force of Buffalo’s economic renaissance. Throughout its management of the growth of Buffalo’s premier innovation district, the BNMC has foregrounded smart economic, social, and environmental development, prioritizing health & well-being and sustainability. Today, the BNMC is focused on the next phase of Buffalo’s ongoing resurgence, cultivating inclusive innovation in partnership with our community. In 2021 BNMC spearheaded the initiative to bring the national programs EforAll and Eforever to Buffalo. These proven programs support aspiring entrepreneurs from all backgrounds to help them start or grow a business. Program graduates will form the heart of Buffalo’s growing Innovation Community comprised of businesses large and small in an array of disciplines and leading the region’s next wave of economic development and growth. BNMC  www.bnmc.org. 

Presenting the 2nd Annual Food as Medicine Symposium, “A Bridge to Health.”

by Maria Morrealein Healthy Communities

BUFFALO NY– On October 13, the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus’ Health & Well-Being division presented its second annual Food as Medicine Symposium, bringing together a range of national and local pioneers in the field to discuss research and policy in the Food as Medicine space. The Keynote address “Food as Medicine: Dietary Priorities and Policy Actions After the White House Conference,” was presented by Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, Dean of Policy at Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. The symposium was held at the UB Center for Bioinformatics and Life Sciences at 701 Ellicott Street in Buffalo. More information about the event can be found here.

BNMC and its partner institutions have been a driving force in a campus-wide effort to improve access to healthy food in hospitals and the surrounding community, collaborating with Kaleida Health, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, and other medical facilities on the Campus. Together, they have implemented the Farm to Hospital program which has connected local farmers and growers to food procurement systems at area hospitals. This program has allowed BNMC partners to serve healthy, locally sourced food to the tens of thousands of patients and visitors that rely on campus resources each year while also benefitting local farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs.

More recently, the BNMC has spearheaded the formation of the Western New York Food as Medicine Coalition, a group that brings more than 40 partners together to share best practices and expand and accelerate the impact of Food as Medicine programs on advancing health in our region.

Elizabeth (Beth) Machnica, Director of Community Well-Being at BNMC said, “Food is undoubtedly a major factor in the determination of medical outcomes, decades of research have shown us this. What we are missing is a broader awareness of the concept and the movement. Our symposium is open to all that would like to learn more and join us in discovering the latest developments and innovations to engage and empower our communities to evaluate the relationships between diet, medical outcomes, and overall health and well-being.”

Conference organizer and BNMC Associate Director of Health and Well-Being Marla Guarino added “The food as medicine discipline is growing and gaining momentum in the United States, at the BNMC we want to ensure our campus and community are at the forefront of innovation and leadership in the field. This is important for our city which has been, and still is, home to food inequities in our communities. Our symposium will spotlight that and point us toward how we can make meaningful change.”

About Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus  

For more than twenty years, The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus organization (BNMC) has been a driving force in Buffalo’s economic renaissance. Throughout its management of the growth of Buffalo’s premier innovation district, the BNMC has foregrounded smart economic, social, and environmental development, prioritizing health & well-being, and sustainability. Today, the BNMC is focused on the next phase of Buffalo’s ongoing resurgence, cultivating inclusive innovation in partnership with our community. In 2021 BNMC spearheaded the initiative to bring the national programs EforAll and Eforever to Buffalo. These proven programs support aspiring entrepreneurs from all backgrounds to help them start or grow a business. Program graduates will form the heart of Buffalo’s growing Innovation Community comprised of businesses large and small in an array of disciplines and leading the region’s next wave of economic development and growth. BNMC  www.bnmc.org. 

Introducing City Forward, the story of the BNMC.

by Maria Morrealein Buffalo, News

We are delighted to share the news that City Forward: How Innovation Districts Can Embrace Risk and Strengthen Community, a new book by Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC) President and CEO, Matt Enstice with Mike Gluck, was published today by Island Press.

The book tells the compelling story of the establishment and growth of Western New York’s premier innovation district.

Innovation districts and anchor institutions—like hospitals, universities, and technology hubs—are celebrated for their ability to drive economic growth and employment opportunities. But the benefits often fail to reach the very neighborhoods they are built-in. As CEO of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Matt Enstice took a different approach. Under Matt’s leadership, BNMC has supported entrepreneurship training programs and mentorship for community members, the creation of a community garden, bringing together diverse groups to explore transportation solutions, and more. Fostering participation and collaboration among neighborhood leaders, foundations, and other organizations ensures that the interests of Buffalo residents are represented. Together, these groups are creating a new model for re-energizing Buffalo—a model that has applications across the United States and around the world.

City Forward explains how BNMC works to promote a shared goal of equity among companies and institutions with often opposing motivations and intentions. When money or time is scarce, how can equitable community-building remain a common priority? When interests conflict and an institution’s expansion depends upon parking or development that would infringe upon public space, how can the decision-making process maintain trust and collaboration? Offering a candid look at BNMC’s setbacks and successes, along with efforts from other institutions nationwide, Enstice shares twelve strategies that innovation districts can harness to weave equity into their core work. From actively creating opportunities to listen to the community, to navigating compromise, to recruiting new partners, the book reveals unique opportunities available to create decisive, large-scale change. Critically, Enstice also offers insight into how innovation districts can speak about equity in an inclusive manner and keep underrepresented and historically excluded voices at the decision-making table.

Accessible, engaging, and packed with fresh ideas applicable to any city, this book is an invaluable resource. Institutional leadership, business owners, and professionals hoping to make equitable change within their companies and organizations will find experienced direction here. City Forward is a refreshing look at the brighter, more equitable futures that we can create through thoughtful and strategic collaboration—moving forward, together.

All proceeds from the sale of this book will be used to further diversity, inclusion, and equity-related efforts throughout our community, You can purchase a copy here.

You can read the full press release here.

Ted Walsh to Assume Leadership of BNMC Board to Lead Next Phase of Region’s Economic, Social, and Environmental Development

by Maria Morrealein Entrepreneurship, Innovation, News, Small Businesses

The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Edward F. Walsh, Jr. (Ted) as the new Chairperson of the Board of Directors. An active champion of community development and growth, Ted brings over 44 years of experience in leadership to the BNMC Board and is poised to lead the organization as it advances the next wave of Buffalo’s economic development. He succeeds David Zebro, who led BNMC to create one of the most environmentally sustainable areas in the City of Buffalo, while creating numerous opportunities for businesses and organizations in the medical and technology fields.

BNMC President and Chief Executive Officer Matt Enstice said “Ted brings a wealth of experience in leadership to the BNMC Board which will be invaluable as we continue to move the organization forward building on our legacy of innovation and entrepreneurship to advance our region’s economic, social, and environmental agenda. Our mission to create an innovation community in Buffalo that provides essential support for everyone, particularly those in historically underserved communities seeking to start or grow their business will flourish under Ted’s stewardship. Ensuring access to entrepreneurship for everyone is the essential next step for our community as we continue to drive our region’s resurgence. Ted is uniquely positioned to lead that effort.”

As it has grown and managed Western New York’s premier medical campus and Innovation district, BNMC has been a long-standing supporter of startup companies, particularly those engaged in the fields of environmental sustainability, providing the essential support that has enabled their businesses to thrive. As part of its work in developing a sustainable innovation district in Buffalo, BNMC has helped to develop and nurture enterprises such as GObike Buffalo and Shared Mobility, Inc. To broaden this effort, in 2021, BNMC partnered with the national organizations EforAll and Eforever, to bring their proven programs to Buffalo. In April of 2o22, a cohort of 14 Buffalo entrepreneurs graduated from the EforAll program which provided hands-on training, mentorship, and support to each new business.  The group will now join the Eforever program which will continue to provide resources and support as these nascent companies grow and develop. Program graduates will form the heart of Buffalo’s growing Innovation Community comprised of businesses large and small in a range of disciplines, leading the region’s next wave of economic development.

Speaking about his appointment, Ted Walsh noted “It has never been more important that our city engage in a significant effort to ensure more equitable access to the opportunity to start or grow a company. We need to support and develop entrepreneurs in every kind of business, not just those in the fields of science and technology, to ensure that our community’s continued economic development is built on a solid, diverse foundation across a range of disciplines. I look forward to leading BNMC in this vital endeavor.”

Ted Walsh has held several leadership positions at numerous organizations throughout Western New York including Chair of the Board at Kaleida Health, United Way of Buffalo and Erie County, Goodwill Industries of WNY, Nichols School, and the Center for Hospice & Palliative Care. In addition, he also serves as Treasurer of the John R. Oishei Foundation and as Chairperson of the Josephine Goodyear Foundation.

Ted has been recognized for his many outstanding accomplishments, both in his professional achievements as well as his dedication to serving the WNY community. In 2018, the Walsh family was recognized by NFJC with its annual family award. In 2013, Ted received recognition as a Red Jacket Award winner from the Buffalo History Museum. In 2011, he was honored to be Canisius College’s Business Executive of the Year Award recipient, a Goodwill Industries of WNY award recipient, and a Florence M. Conti Award recipient. In 2008 Kaleida Health dedicated the Edward F. Walsh, Jr. Emergency Department at the Buffalo General Medical Center in his name. In addition, Ted and his wife Ginna Remington Walsh were named the United Way Philanthropists of the Year by the Alexis de Tocqueville Society.

Ted graduated from Nichols School in 1972 and Williams College in 1976 and began his insurance career that same year with the Continental Insurance Company. He joined Walsh Duffield in 1977. As Chief Executive Officer, Ted is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the firm.

Ted lives in Buffalo, New York, with his wife, Ginna.  They have raised their two daughters, Liza and Ellie, in Buffalo. They are proud grandparents of Avery, Haley, Grant, Addison, and Colette.

About Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus  

For more than twenty years, The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus organization (BNMC) has been a driving force of Buffalo’s economic renaissance. Throughout its management of the growth of Buffalo’s premier innovation district, the BNMC has foregrounded smart economic, social, and environmental development. Today, the BNMC is focused on the next phase of Buffalo’s ongoing resurgence, cultivating inclusive innovation in partnership with our community. In 2021 BNMC spearheaded the initiative to bring the national programs EforAll and Eforever to Buffalo. These proven programs support aspiring entrepreneurs from all backgrounds to help them start or grow a business. Program graduates will form the heart of Buffalo’s growing Innovation Community comprised of businesses large and small in an array of disciplines and leading the region’s next wave of economic development and growth. www.bnmc.org.  

The Innovation District Holiday Market and Beer Garden – Postponed

by Maria Morrealein Event

Event Postponed

Due to circumstances beyond our control, this event will be postponed. We will reschedule a market event in 2022. Watch this space for a new date and time coming soon. Our apologies for any inconvenience.
Please join us on December 2 from 3:00 – 7:00 pm for some holiday shopping, food, and beer. We will be joined by over fifteen local vendors and entrepreneurs showcasing a host of holiday gift ideas.
We’ll have heaters to keep us warm as we gather safely together outside for some festive fun!
Space is limited for this free event, so pre-registration will be required using the link below.
When: Thursday, December 2 from 3:00 to 7:00 pm. The Beer Garden begins at 4:30 pm
Where: The Lot at 589 Ellicott.
We look forward to welcoming you!

Introducing A Safer, More Vibrant Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus

by Maria Morrealein Art, Biking, Community, News

Left: Hervé Tullet, Traits points taches giboullage (Lines dots stains scribbles), is located at 847 Main
Continuous Improvements Make the Campus a Destination, a Resource, and a Connector for All in Western New York.

BNMC Inc, the organization that operates the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus and its innovation community, recently announced a range of initiatives to enhance the safety and beauty of the Campus.

In collaboration with the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, BNMC has added three striking new murals to the area by internationally renowned artist Hervé Tullet and celebrated local artists Muhammad Zaman and Ashley Johnson. The Zaman and Johnson murals are being incorporated into pedestrian safety improvements along Ellicott Street that BNMC worked with GObike to implement. The BNMC will seek to expand its public art program and safety initiatives throughout the area in the coming years.

Jamie Hamann Burney, Director of Campus Planning and Implementation said, “Our Campus is a magnet for innovators, researchers, and healthcare workers, and sees over 1.5M patients and visitors every year. We’re also part of a larger surrounding community and we strive to create places where everyone can gather and connect in a safe environment.  Bringing great art to the Campus all the while making it safer for all who rely on its resources is a win-win for everyone.  Look for more exciting projects coming soon.”

This year’s largest mural is by the internationally renowned artist, performer, and beloved children’s book author Hervé Tullet, and was executed in tandem with his largest exhibition to date, Shape and Color, which was on view at Abright-Knox Northland this summer. The BNMC mural, entitled Traits points taches giboullage (Lines dots stains scribbles), is located at 847 Main Street and is the second-ever public mural by the artist. The site was selected in part because it will live on the Campus, a site for healing, but also because of the many diverse cultural activities that BNMC champions and supports. The artist’s design is based on original works that were included in the AK Northland exhibition. The mural outline was printed on polytab, a mobile and flexible non-woven fabric, and completed at Buffalo Arts Studio by Jump Start program students who learned Tullet’s techniques that allowed them to complete the mural while also helping them develop their own portfolios as they contributed to the production of a major work of public art.

In addition, two other new murals have been added to the Campus. These murals serve not only to beautify the area and highlight the voices of leading local artists, but also to improve crosswalk and intersection safety. They have been produced in collaboration with GObike Buffalo and the Albright-Knox, with funding support from the Ralph Wilson Foundation and the University at Buffalo. Christina Orsi, Associate Vice President for Economic Development at UB said “We are thrilled to continue to support improvements that make the BNMC campus a leading destination for our community of innovators. Together, we forge greater connections with the surrounding community in a place where our differences become our strengths to enable lasting impressions and impacts in Western New York and beyond.”

Ashley Johnson’s work at Ellicott and Virginia Streets

Let’s Walk Together (detail), Muhammad Zaman at the Innovation Center

The murals are designed by artists Ashley Johnson and Muhammad Zaman. Johnson and Zaman working at 640 Ellicott Street and the intersection of Ellicott and Virginia Streets respectively, have each wp-contentlied their signature styles to the spaces.

Walk Together is an abstract work by Zaman at the crosswalk and pathway to the BNMC’s Innovation Center at 640 Ellicott. It is based on the concept that sharing a path together connects people to one another, echoing the importance of the connections made in the building and throughout the Campus community every day.

Artist Ashley Johnson is working on an abstract design on Ellicott and Virginia that evokes BNMC’s role in leveraging economic development on the Campus for the benefit of the overall community. With shape and color, the work explores the connectivity and interrelationships that make communities thrive.

“Through our Healthy Streets Initiative, we have been able to work with institutions and residents across the city to inexpensively develop temporary traffic calming solutions to immediately address safety needs,” said Justin Booth, Executive Director for GObike Buffalo. “We were hwp-contenty to partner with the BNMC and Albright-Knox to deliver this innovative project to do more than improve safety but beautify our city while doing so.”

The BNMC also worked closely with the City of Buffalo to plan and implement additional complete street improvements on the Campus this year. The City reconstructed Virginia and Burton Streets, widening the sidewalks, adding bike lanes, and installing mid-block pedestrian crossings on both Washington and Ellicott Streets.

 

 

 

The Innovation District Beer Garden – Oktoberfest!

by Maria Morrealein Campus-wide, Community, Event
Due to the huge response to our Innovation District Beer Garden events in August and September, we’ve decided to do an OKTOBERFEST in the pop-up Beer Garden for everyone! Please join us on October 21st from 4:30 – 7:00 pm for some food and beer. We’ll have heaters to keep us warm as we gather safely together outside for some festive fall fun!

When: Thursday, October 21st  from 4:30 to 7 PM.

Where: The Lot at 589 Ellicott.

Space is limited for this free event, so pre-registration will be required.

Stop by and say hi!

Thanks to All Who Helped BNMC and National Grid Electrify Buffalo on September 25

by Maria Morrealein Electric Vehicles, Energy, Environment

Innovation and future technology were all on display at a family-fun event that celebrated Drive Electric Week on September 25!
More than 25 area companies were on hand to share information about their products, technologies, and the various uses of electric vehicles, including public transportation, construction, and recreational use. Attendees test-drove electric vehicles and saw various demonstrations of electric backhoes, e-bikes, and scooters. Here are some pictures from the event.

The Innovation District Beer Garden – September Edition!

by Maria Morrealein Campus-wide, Community, Event

On September 30, BNMC will present a second special pop-up event and we invite you to join us. We’ll be transforming the parking lot at 589 Ellicott into an outdoor beer garden and we’ll gather for some food and exceptional brews provided by our friends at Big Ditch. The Leroy Towns Band will provide the tunes.
When: Thursday, September 30 from 4:30 to 7 PM.

Where: The Lot at 589 Ellicott.

Space is limited for this free event, so pre-registration will be required.

Stop by and say hi!

Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz Declares Sept. 25 to Oct. 3 Drive Electric Week in Erie County. Week to kick off with National Grid-sponsored event at Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus on Sept. 25

by Maria Morrealein Electric Vehicles, Energy, Environment

BUFFALO – As part of National Drive Electric Week 2021, Erie County is spreading the word about environmental responsibility and encouraging residents to learn more about electric vehicles by signing a proclamation that declares Sept. 25 to Oct. 3 Drive Electric Week in Erie County.
“Electric Drive week overlaps with Climate Week, which starts today, and that is no coincidence. Electric Vehicles are part of the solution as we work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Bonnie Lawrence, Deputy Commissioner of the Erie County Department of Environment and Planning.

In Erie County the week – which coincides with National Drive Electric Week – will begin with Electrify Buffalo, a community ride-around event on Saturday, Sept. 25. Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus is hosting this innovative event, which is sponsored by National Grid, in the parking lot at the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus Innovation Center, located at 589 Ellicott St.

The free event runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Attendees can test-drive electric vehicles and learn more from various demonstrations of electric backhoes, e-bikes, and scooters. The event will include food trucks, raffles, and a kids’ zone. More information, including event registration, is available here.

“Sustainability is at the heart of the work that we do here on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus,” said Matt Enstice, President and CEO of the BNMC. “We were the first site in Western New York to install vehicle charging capability, and we continue to add to and upgrade our sustainable infrastructure. We are delighted to host events that highlight both the importance and growth of technology in the field.”

“Events such as Electrify Buffalo are natural fits for National Grid because we offer several programs, including electric vehicle programs that are for customers who can save up to 100 percent of the costs related to infrastructure installations, like the ones at the medical campus and so many across western New York; we also offer services for those with electric fleets,” said National Grid Regional Director Ken Kujawa. “The event also nicely aligns with National Grid’s Project C initiative, National Grid’s community commitment designed to accomplish many goals, including connecting our communities to clean and sustainable energy, and delivering a resilient, clean energy future.”

The Innovation District Beer Garden!

by Maria Morrealein Campus-wide, Event, Innovation, Innovation Center

On August 26, BNMC will present a special pop-up event and we invite you to join us. We’ll be transforming the parking lot at 589 Ellicott into an outdoor beer garden and we’ll gather for some food and exceptional brews provided by our friends at Big Ditch. DJ Mr. Illmatic will provide the tunes.
When: Thursday, August 26 from 4:30 to 7 PM.

Where: The Lot at 589 Ellicott.

Space is limited for this free event, so pre-registration will be required.

Stop by and say hi! You can register to join us here.

BNMC and Partners Launch E-Bike Pilot in Buffalo

by Maria Morrealein Biking, Buffalo, Environment, GO BNMC

BNMC frequently serves as a living laboratory for new and innovative programs in Buffalo. For the summer of 2021, we are delighted to partner with Shared Mobility, Inc. to offer shared e-bikes this summer. E-bikes will be stationed at a number of locations around Buffalo, including at the corner of Ellicott and North Oak/Virgina Streets on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. Other locations around the City include Seneca One, and Push Buffalo’s School 77. East Side Bike Club will lead an E-Bike Library with group rides and a variety of programming.
Participation in this program is FREE! To learn more about how to get involved, visit Shared Mobility here.

A Summer of Fun for 2021 on the BNMC

by Maria Morrealein Biking, Buffalo, Campus-wide, Community, Energy, Healthy Communities

Welcome to summer 2021! After everything we have been through this past year, we are delighted to invite you to join our BNMC Summer of Wellness, our healthy, fun program of events and hwp-contentenings that will help all of us reinvigorate and recharge. We have an array of events that will allow us to safely gather together to bike, walk, or practice restorative yoga. Join us for one, for some, or for all. These programs are open FREE  to all who live and work in our community and on our campus. They will be safely socially distant, and facemasks are recommended. You can register for everything here.  Here’s what’s on the schedule this year:

 

Food Truck Rodeo 2021

by Maria Morrealein Amenities, Campus-wide, Community, Event

Summer Has Arrived and So Have The Foodtrucks!

Once again this year, every Monday – Friday during the summer we will feature a variety of Buffalo’s best food truck vendors. The trucks will be located on the lawn at the corner of Washington and Carlton Streets. Lunch begins at 11:30 am every day and runs until 2 pm.

Here’s what’s on the menu for 2021:

  • Mondays: Mad Sauces
  • Tuesdays: The Cheesy Chick, House of Munch, Fat Bob’s, Street Café, and The Blend
  • Wednesdays: Rob’s Kabobs, Thai Me Up, Carnivorous, and Andersons (Beginning in June)
  • Thursdays: Eat Greek, Maria’s Bene Cibo, Dirty Bird Chicken & Waffles, and Kona Ice
  • Fridays: The Polish Villa, The Great Foodini, Mineo & Sapio, and Loose Cannon

Masks and social distancing will be required to ensure a healthy and safe environment for everyone.

Open Streets – May 21!

by Maria Morrealein Biking, Event, Healthy Communities

Join the Fun on May 21!

Being able to enjoy the outdoors – walking, exercising, getting fresh air – is an important part of living a healthy, hwp-contenty life.  With limited park space in our area, and the need to still stay safely socially distant from one another, we’re rethinking how we use our streets.   For our first-ever Open Streets event, we will be closing Washington Street between Carlton and High Streets to traffic and we’ll use the space for healthy activities, starting off with a Bike to Work Day breakfast for anyone who rides their bike to the event. Breakfast for the first 50 riders will be FREE.

There will be many healthy fun activities until 2 pm. You can register for them here.

We’ll have food trucks, D.J.s, and giveaways too!

Masks and social distancing will be required to ensure a healthy and safe event for everyone!

Our event partners:

 

Welcome to National Bike Month

by Maria Morrealein Biking, Buffalo, Environment, GO BNMC, Infrastructure

By Jamie Hamann-Burney
May is National Bike Month, and BNMC is as committed as ever to helping make bicycling a fun, safe, and healthy way to get around our district.  We continue to work with our partners to enhance our bicycling infrastructure on the campus and we’ll again be celebrating National Bike to Work Day on Friday, May 21st with our first-ever BNMC Open Streets Event! Here’s some more details:

BNMC Open Streets

Being able to enjoy the outdoors – walking, exercising, getting fresh air – is an important part of living a healthy, hwp-contenty life.  With limited park space in our area, and the need to still stay safely socially distant from one another, we’re rethinking how we use our streets.   We will be closing Washington Street between Carlton and High Streets to traffic and we will be using the street for healthy living activities throughout the day, starting off with a Bike to Work Day breakfast for anyone who rides their bike to the event. More details about the event and how to register are here.

Bicycle Programs:

This year, we’re also continuing to add more bicycle perks for members of our community:

  • Free annual REDDY Bikeshare memberships for employees and neighbors and a campus-wide free parking zone;
  • Exploring micro-mobility options on campus in collaboration with Shared Mobility, Inc.
  • Indoor, member-only bicycle parking in collaboration with GObike as well as numerous other bike parking racks throughout the campus;
  • A Bicycle Fix-It Station at the corner of Ellicott and Virginia Streets;
  • Free memberships for our Green Commuter Club which provides prizes and a Guaranteed Ride Home Program to employees who walk, bike, take transit, or carpool to work. To learn more and sign up for our programs, click here.

Streetscape Projects:

The next few years will be transformational for our shared campus.  We continue to work with the City of Buffalo on creating new bicycle infrastructure and amenities through new streetscape projects.  Currently, Virginia Street between Main and Ellicott is being reconstructed to include wider sidewalks and bicycle lanes (mid-block pedestrian crossings will also be added on Washington Street and Ellicott Street as part of the same project); and in 2022, the City will start construction on the Middle Main Street Project, which will feature protected bicycle lanes from at least Goodell to Ferry Streets. Best Street is also being repaved this year and that project will include new bicycle lanes as identified in the City’s Bicycle Master Plan.

BNMC Announces New Partnership with EforAll and Eforever to Launch Small Business Support Programs

by Maria Morrealein Buffalo, Business Development, Entrepreneurs, Entrepreneurship, Innovation, News

Entrepreneurship for All (EforAll), the nonprofit whose mission is to accelerate economic and social impact through inclusive entrepreneurship, and Entrepreneurs Forever (eforever), a nonprofit focused on supporting established small businesses, announces their partnership with the nonprofit Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC) to launch their free programs in Buffalo this fall. Together, these organizations will work to provide under-represented individuals with the training and support needed to start, grow and sustain their businesses.
“There’s a great need for organizations like EforAll and eforever in our community, especially as we aim to recover from the pandemic’s impact,” said BNMC CEO Matt Enstice. “A survey conducted by Buffalo Niagara Partnership (BNP) found that 93% of Buffalo area businesses have seen a revenue decline, most by 50%. Through the implementation of these organizations, we will be able to revitalize our region and build a more equitable place for future startups, beyond the technology industry.”

To help launch these initiatives, BNMC connected with financial partners, including lead sponsor KeyBank. “EforAll and eforever are exceptional organizations that will bring dreams to life and bring great opportunity and transformational change to the community,” said Elizabeth Gurney, Director of Corporate Philanthropy at KeyBank and Executive Director of the First Niagara Foundation. “We’re thrilled to work alongside BNMC to bring these initiatives to Buffalo, and remain dedicated to supporting our citizens, investing in their future, strengthening our regional economy and helping Buffalo and all of the communities we serve thrive.”

EforAll helps to start and grow small businesses or nonprofits across a wide range of industries, including personal and professional services, food, retail, manufacturing and technology. The program offers a unique combination of immersive business training, dedicated mentorship from local business and community leaders, and access to a large professional network – along with the opportunity to win seed money.

To oversee EforAll Buffalo, former External Affairs manager for the City Hall Division of Citizens Services, Juweria Dahir, has been hired as the Executive Director. In her former role, Dahir served as a liaison between various city departments and nearly 500 block clubs, identifying and implementing neighborhood development projects from beautification to restoration initiatives.

“EforAll has done inspiring work for various communities in the U.S.,” said Dahir. “I’m eager to lead this organization in Buffalo as we have many talented and creative entrepreneurs who simply need the support and training that only a program like EforAll can deliver. My priority will be to seek out like-minded community partners who share our vision for a more inclusive and entrepreneurial Buffalo.”

Among the over 500 businesses started by EforAll participants, 74% are owned by women, 58% are owned by people of color, 46% are owned by immigrants, and 39% are owned by people who were previously unemployed. These businesses generated over $25M in revenue and created 720 local jobs in 2019.

With a successful track record of helping established small businesses in their continued growth and development, eforever will provide support to existing Buffalo businesses through professionally moderated monthly peer-to-peer group meetings. Peer group members share their entrepreneurial journey with others on a similar path and work through a progressive three-year competency program, ensuring that they build necessary skills for long-term success. Together, these nonprofits will service local communities to build thriving businesses and neighborhoods.

“Over the past eight years, we’ve served entrepreneurs in 27 communities in Southwestern Pennsylvania, including our recent expansion into Massachusetts, connecting small business owners with the people and skills they need to thrive,” said A.J. Drexler, CEO at eforever. “We’re excited to extend the same support to Buffalo, as they recover from the pandemic.”

On May 4, BNMC hosted a press conference announcing the forthcoming launch of these initiatives. Attendees included EforAll CEO David Parker, eforever CEO A.J. Drexler, KeyBank Corporate Responsibility Manager Kawanza Humphrey, Dean at the University of Buffalo Robert Shibley, and others.

To learn more about these organizations and their Buffalo programs, or to donate to these initiatives, visit: eforall.org/ny/buffalo and entrepreneursforever.org.

About EforAll

Entrepreneurship for All (EforAll) is a nonprofit organization that partners with communities nationwide to help under-represented individuals successfully start and grow a business through intensive business training, mentorship and an extended professional support network. To date, EforAll alumni have launched more than 500 businesses and created more than 700 local jobs. Programs are available in both English and Spanish. EforAll is currently available in Longmont, Colorado, Northwest Arkansas, and the following Massachusetts communities: Berkshire County, Cape Cod, Fall River/New Bedford, Worcester, Holyoke, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, and Roxbury. To learn more about EforAll, please visit www.eforall.org.

About eforever

Entrepreneurs Forever (eforever), a program of the Mansmann Foundation, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, supports small business owners and entrepreneurs who live or operate in evolving communities. Entrepreneurs Forever gives entrepreneurs the power to persist by providing know-how, skills, training, and support in the form of professionally facilitated peer-to-peer small groups that meet monthly. Eforever welcomes partnerships with referral agencies and underwriting sponsors. To learn more or become a member, visit entrpreneursforever.org.

About Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus

The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC) seeks to re-imagine our city’s future through the dynamic intersection of technology, health, discovery, and collaboration. The BNMC is an enterprise focused on cultivating inclusive innovation in partnership with our community. We do this by improving infrastructure, managing our sustainable transportation system, creating a culture of health and wellbeing, facilitating and nurturing innovation, and working with our partners to drive equitable economic development and growth. www.bnmc-old.local.

About KeyBank

KeyBank’s roots trace back 190 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, KeyCorp is one of the nation’s largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of wp-contentroximately $176.2 billion at March 31, 2021. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of wp-contentroximately 1,100 branches and more than 1,400 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank is Member FDIC.

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EforAll Media Contact

Molly Powers

Matter Communications

(401) 487-3661

mpowers@matternow.com

 

eforever Media Contact

Roya Kousari

Entrepreneurs Forever

(412) 448-4712

rkousari@e4ever.org

 

BNMC Media Contact

Maria Morreale

(716) 218-7163

mmorreale@bnmc-old.local

BNMC’s Micro-Grant Program, Spark, is now Accepting Proposals for Neighborhood Projects in 2021

by Maria Morrealein Neighbors, News

 
We are thrilled to announce BNMC Spark – the BNMC’s micro-grant program that funds creative ideas and strategies to support partners and stakeholders within the neighborhoods surrounding the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. This year, we are delighted to partner with the Fruit Belt Community Land Trust (FBCLT) to make ten awards of up to $4,000 each.

We invite community members and organizations to submit proposals to receive funding for projects and initiatives that advance the goals of BNMC, the FBCLT, and the local community. Our key goals include:

  • Building an inclusive and collaborative culture of innovation that drives economic development and creates vibrant, healthy communities.
  • Ensuring our district is attractive, welcoming, and accessible – a quality place to work, live, visit and invest in.

Learn more about the projects we funded in 2019 and 2018. Watch our 2019 video featuring some of our Spark grantees.

The deadline for wp-contentlications is May 21, 2021. To learn more visit bnmc-old.local/spark or contact community@bnmc-old.local

BNMC & Partners Awarded up to $8.2 Million to Improve Transportation Access.

by Maria Morrealein Collaboration, Commuting, Innovation, News

The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) has selected the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BMNC) as one of five U.S. locations to pilot the Complete Trip – ITS4US Deployment Program.  The Complete Trip – ITS4US Deployment Program challenges communities to identify ways to provide more efficient, affordable, and accessible transportation options for underserved populations that often face greater challenges in accessing essential services.

Continue reading “BNMC & Partners Awarded up to $8.2 Million to Improve Transportation Access.”

BNMC’s Pledge for Racial Equity

by BNMCin BNMC Team, Buffalo, Diversity & Inclusion, MWBE, Neighbors, Outreach

BNMC’s Pledge for Racial Equity

During this heartbreaking time for our city and country, standing together as one community is more important than ever. We believe strongly in the need for diversity and the importance of inclusion. We are firmly against any form of racial injustice and hatred, and we pledge to speak up and speak out when we see this hwp-contentening in our community and beyond.
The BNMC has always believed that by continuing to build a welcoming and inclusive environment, people are inspired and empowered to be their most creative and innovative selves. And yet, we’re ever so aware that we’re always learning, always growing, and always challenging ourselves to be better tomorrow than we are today.
Today, we are reaffirming our strongly held beliefs in promoting justice for all people.
The BNMC’s pledge:
  • We will engage our community to enhance diversity, inclusion, and respect for every person.
  • We will break down barriers, push boundaries, and work as advocates for change.
  • We will create an inclusive environment that will seek cooperative collaborations and community-based solutions.
  • We will commit to an intentional and ongoing dialogue about racial injustice among our staff, partners and stakeholders.
We stand with you because you are a part of us. If you do not receive justice, neither do we. We promise to continue working together with our partners to create a better and more inclusive Buffalo.

Join Us for Meditation Mondays in November!

by BNMCin Community, Healthy Communities, Innovation Center

Free, Virtual Meditation Sessions

Every Monday in November Beginning Nov. 2nd from 8:30 – 9:00 a.m. 

The BNMC Healthy Communities team presents Meditation Mondays, a 30-minute live guided meditation each Monday morning from 8:30 – 9:00 am in November. Each week has its own theme to provide focus, purpose, and intention. All participants will receive recordings of each session and an e-book to guide their own meditation practice once the series has concluded. Meditations are being guided by Amiyah King and Jasir Ali, full bios in our Facebook Events page. Register on our Medical Campus Wellness Events Public Facebook Group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2243130692613771

Download our Meditation Mondays Flyer!

BNMC Shifts Existing Grant Funding to Increase Capacity of Local Food Supply Chain During Pandemic

by BNMCin Collaboration, Community, Healthy Communities, Neighborhood Engagement

BNMC Shifts Existing Grant Funding to Support Efforts of Farmers, Not-for-Profit Organizations, and Small Distributors to Increase Capacity of Local Food Supply Chain During Pandemic

Projects Support the Longer-Term Goal of Improving Access to Institutional Procurement

 

BUFFALO, NY—The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. (BNMC) has partnered with four local organizations to support projects that will increase the food system resiliency in our community. A total of $20,000 has been distributed to local partners to support the production and distribution of local foods, as well as the sustainability and growth of small farms and distribution businesses that may be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The funding has been made available through “BNMC Fresh: Farm to Hospital Implementation,” an existing three-year grant that the BNMC received in 2018 through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Local Food Promotion Program.

This collaborative initiative is designed to 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 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.

“Our grant manager at USDA was very understanding about our efforts to increase healthy local foods in hospitals slowing as our health care partners shift their full attention to caring for our community during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Marla Guarino, BNMC’s Farm to Institution Program Coordinator “We were able to redistribute the funds originally earmarked for conferences, travel, and longer-term strategies that are currently on hold, and expand the scope of the initiative to have a more immediate impact on making our local food system more resilient.”

Guarino added, “Implementing these short-term wins more quickly supports the overall goal of the grant – increasing the ability of small farmers and organizations to play a role in institutional procurement, such as hospitals, colleges and universities, prisons, and school districts.”

In order to support the local food chain supply quickly during the pandemic, the BNMC team looked to extend projects with existing partner organizations, primarily focusing on infrastructure capital improvement; equipment; and data enhancement.  Priority was given to projects that were able to be completed within 4-6 months; collaborative efforts; minority and women-led; and infrastructure moving toward institutional procurement in the future. All final decisions required wp-contentroval from the BNMC USDA grants manager.

The team worked with the USDA in April for wp-contentroval to redirect funding, and identified the priority projects with partner organizations in May. All organizations received the funding over the summer and are well on their way to enacting change.

The following four organizations each received $5,000:

St. John’s Baptist Church, God’s Farm’acy Mobile Truck

God’s Farm’acy is a mobile food truck and raised garden initiative that distributes hot meals, fruits, and vegetables for free throughout the Fruit Belt and other underserved communities. The team at St. John’s also uses the truck to offer healthy cooking classes in the community.  They used the funds to add refrigeration to the mobile food truck, allowing them to help eliminate food desserts by increasing access to fresh foods and nutrition information. Received: Funds toward refrigeration for Mobile Truck

Groundwork Market Garden: Groundwork Market Garden is a family-owned farm on the East Side of Buffalo. GMG received funds to develop and promote a digital catalog of local farm products available for purchase. This digital catalog will be updated regularly and used to secure business with larger institutions that small farms traditionally do not serve. GMG plans to include all local urban growers into the catalog as a way to procure larger contracts and promote local farms. Received: Funds for development of digital catalog, on-line marketplace and marketing support

“These funds are helping to bring our farm up to speed with the current trend for local food to be available through online marketplaces,” said Anders Gunnersen, GMG cofounder. “The online catalog will separate our products by retail and wholesale and will be used as a means to sell produce, and as a marketing tool for our farm to reach more people and institutions in the city of Buffalo and Western NY. This project is going to streamline our sales processes and tracking, and better market our products to a much larger and broader audience.”

Produce Peddlers: Produce Peddlers is an online marketplace for buying and selling produce that prevents food waste and saves money. They received funds to reconfigure its delivery van with a refrigeration unit to increase its ability to deliver fresh and local perishable goods to consumers and businesses in the WNY region. When the COVID-19 pandemic closed many businesses, farmers and other suppliers started to back up on product. In an attempt to help, Produce Peddlers opened its marketplace to individual consumers, who were also looking for alternative avenues to source their food that didn’t involve having to go out in public places. Refrigeration will allow Produce Peddlers to handle more goods safely, be GHP compliant, and streamline its delivery methods. Received: Funds for refrigeration for mobile truck

“The ability to refrigerate our delivery vehicle has propelled our business to new heights!” said Gina Wieczorek, Co-founder, VP Operations, Produce Peddlers. “We are now able to safely transport and deliver all sorts of locally grown and produced food, including animal products, meat and other processed items, to restaurants, schools and institutions all over WNY without breaking the cold chain.”

Urban Fruits & Veggies: Urban Fruits & Veggies is an urban agriculture business with two urban farms and a mobile produce market focused on providing access and nutrition education to underserved communities in the WNY area. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, they are growing three times as much as they usually do to support requests for food delivery, and therefore need additional growing supplies, specifically refrigeration equipment. They also need office equipment to facilitate data tracking and growing partnerships with organizations and established programs to ensure they are addressing the social determinants to health. Received: Funds for computer, laptop and printer

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About the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc.

The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC): re-imagining our city’s future through the dynamic intersection of technology, health, discovery, and collaboration. The BNMC is a social enterprise focused on cultivating inclusive innovation in partnership with our community. We do this by 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. In addition, the BNMC owns and operates more than 150,000 sq ft of incubator space, helping to grow a diverse array of emerging and mature companies through dynamic workspace, programming, and networking. www.bnmc-old.local

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For more information: Marla Guarino, 716.867.9528

 

Be In Buffalo Newcomer Survey

by BNMCin Collaboration, Community

Be In Buffalo Newcomer Survey

If you are new to Buffalo, or if you’ve recently moved back, Be in Buffalo wants to hear from you!

Take the Newcomer Survey, designed to determine our region’s strengths and deficiencies, and create a roadmap forward for how to better welcome new residents to the City of Good Neighbors.

The confidential survey should take less than 10 minutes to complete and questions range a wide variety of topics so we can best map our future needs. Take it today! The survey ends October 20.