REACH News

September 2024

Housing is a Human Right

Advocacy Notes

Educate: Many of us attended a Community Forum on Homelessness in Rochester last month. There were about 80 people present.

Organize: The collaborative that organized the forum is planning on taking it out to faith communities in the city and surrounding towns. If your faith community is interested in participating, please contact us.

Agitate: Please join us at our planning sessions. For more information, email us.

Thank You, Volunteers!

On August 22, 2024, fourteen members of the incoming freshman class at Nazareth University cleared the 720 West Main Street shelter of used mattresses and surplus clothing. More than thirty mattresses and many bags of no longer fresh clothing were removed and discarded for appropriate ecological treatment.

Tree and bush trimming performed by the students improved visibility and safety along the pedestrian corridor leading from West Main to St. Peter’s Kitchen. Nazareth proudly continues its deeply appreciated multi-year service preparing and cleaning REACH temporary emergency shelters.

Project Haven Updates

Scotty B Overdose Awareness Day

The REACH Shelter Team was honored to be asked by the Baker family to take over responsibility for the annual Scotty B Overdose Awareness Day on Thursday, August 29. Becky and Paul Baker lost their son Scotty to an overdose nine years ago, and since then have been holding the awareness day.

There were over 20 organizations with information tables, speakers, a live band, a food truck, and a food table. Purple flags were planted on the hillside with the names of loved ones lost to overdose, and the day ended with a candlelight vigil.

We were overwhelmed by the community support we received and we thank everyone for attending.

Board News

Thank you to Canandaigua National Bank Charitable Foundation for their generous support of REACH with their $2,500 Small Business Recovery Grant. CNB and their staff have supported our mission since our start in 2015.

Thank you to our readers!

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