Buffalo ReUse

This morning started with Buffalo Reuse, located on Buffalo's Eastside. I was so impressed with their organization as well as the dedication of everyone who works for their organization. They consider Buffalo ReUse a "social enterprise" which was a new word to me. They are a non-profit, but through their salvage operation, they do make some profits which are put back into the organization. They do this because "the revolution will not be funded."

They are the only green demolition company in Buffalo, which means that before a house is demolished, they go in and strip anything that can be reused. Door knobs, doors, glass, cabinets, etc. They also had such beautiful things there! Mantles, desks, hutches. It was amazing. The problem is that in Buffalo, it is cheaper to send everything to the landfill than to separate reusable materials. As there are 1400 houses in the city of Buffalo slotted for demolition, the work that ReUse does is so important.

I also admire the courage of Buffalo ReUse to put themselves where catastrophe is (to paraphrase Dr. Cornel West). The Eastside has been crippled by white flight. Buffalo ReUse is going to re-establish a true community in this neighborhood and I can't thank them enough for it. I was so moved today. I was despaired to see the status of the neighborhood but empowered but the work being done by Buffalo ReUse.

In addition to the salvage operation and green demolition, they also do community work in other ways. They have a community garden, called the patchwork garden, where neighbors are invited to plant vegetables and share what is grown. They also invite neighborhood children to join them for a fresh cooked meal with produce from the garden. I love how their work relates to the sustainability and local food movements.

Some of us ASBers painted or glazed windows in some houses Buffalo ReUse is re-purposing. I spent the day with Poiema, Preethi, Grace, and Zohra removing hardware from doors so that the doors and the hardware could all be re-sold. It was tedious at times, but I found that I was intensely committed to getting the doors I was working on completed. Not to mention that I got to check out some amazing vintage/antique doors.

I know that I will volunteer with Buffalo ReUse again. I was inspired today. It makes me want to stay in Buffalo and move into a neighborhood like the one we were in today on the Eastside so that I can have an impact on the community in the way that Cassandra, Amanda, Michael and everyone at Buffalo ReUse do. I was deeply affected by our volunteer work this morning. It's easy to see why they were one of Artvoice's nominee's for Best Activist Group in the Best of Buffalo 2008.

Check out the Buffalo ReUse website: http://www.buffaloreuse.org/ Especially if you or someone you know is remodeling their house. Buffalo ReUse will come and help you tear out old materials that can be used in their salvage shop.

We also held a carnival at the University for Big Brothers/Big Sisters today. I will post a separate entry or see if one of my fellow ASBers posts one. I just don't feel like I can give the Big Brothers/Big Sisters experience the detailed description it deserves within this same post.