Buffalo, NY – Assemblymember Jon D. Rivera is proud to announce “Party in the Park” — a community resource fair, free and open to the public, that will bring together more than 30 organizations ready to connect residents to their services and resources, held in partnership with Councilman David Rivera and Community Canvases’ WNY Trash Mob.

The event will take place Saturday, Sept. 16 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at 378 Massachusetts Ave., Buffalo, NY 14213.

School backpacks and supplies will be handed out, in addition to home weatherization and lead test kits. The event will also feature live music, food, crafts and children’s activities.

“Party in the Park” will bolster community well-being and foster local connections by providing Buffalo’s West Side residents an opportunity to access a wide array of vital services, all in one centralized location. The event aims to bridge the gap between individuals who need access to housing, education or employment resources with the organizations that provide them.

The resource fair will feature a range of groups, spanning areas such as healthcare, education, housing, employment, social services, and more. Attendees will have the chance to engage with representatives from these organizations, gather information, and explore avenues for support that they might not have been aware of previously.

Resource fair partners include:

• Agents for Advocacy
• BestSelf Behavioral Health
• Beyond WNY
• Black Boys Read Too
• Boys and Girls Club
• Board of Block Clubs
• BPS Adult Education
• Buffalo AKG
• Buffalo Center for Applied Arts & Technology
• Buffalo Library Bookmobile
• Buffalo Zoo
• Citizen Science Resources
• City of Buffalo Permits and Inspections – FREE Lead Testing Kits
• City of Buffalo Recycling Department- sign up for the City’s composting program!
• Community Canvases & WNY Trash Mob
• Crisis Services
• Field & Fork Network & Double Up Food Bucks
• Feedmore of WNY
• Housing Opportunities Made Equal (HOME)
• HOME HQ
• Hispanics United of Buffalo
• Grant Amherst Business Association
• GLYS
• Home Beneath Our Feet
• Jericho Road Community Health Center
• Little African Culture Club (Oasis Creative Studios)
• Ladders to the Outdoors
• National Fuel – FREE Weatherization Kits
• NY Connects and Erie County Senior Services
• Partnership for the Public Good
• Penn Dixie Fossil Park & Nature Preserve
• PUSH Buffalo
• Restoration Society
• SNAP-Ed
• Teacher’s Desk – FREE Backpack & School Supplies (child must be in attendance)
• Tobacco Free WNY-Roswell Park
• United Health's Medicaid/Medicare Van
• UB Primary Care Research Institute
• WEDI
• West Side Community Services
• WNY Mobile Ops
• WNY Tool Library

Additionally, Assemblymember Rivera is also partnering with The Teacher’s Desk, an organization which provides free school supplies, books and resources for students and teachers. The Teacher’s Desk opened in October 2011 and annually distributes over $6 million in new school supplies, including facial tissue to 6,000 teachers located at 250 schools, serving 150,000 students in need throughout the Western New York community.

No registration is necessary to attend the resource fair, but children must be present to claim a backpack.

Assemblymember Jon D. Rivera said, “As summer winds down, this resource fair is an opportunity for our community to come together. I encourage all residents who are in need of crucial resources and services, but who may not know where to turn in order to access them, to come out and enjoy the nice weather and to introduce themselves to their neighbors. It’s great to be able to partner with a coalition of local organizations who share my desire to give back to our community and to provide people with the assistance they need.”

Erie County Legislature Majority Leader April Baskin said, “The Party in the Park is an amazing opportunity to access the necessary resources and services in our community that many people need. Thank you to Assemblymember Rivera, Councilmember Rivera, Community Canvases and all the partners that made providing these vital services to our community possible.”

Councilmember David Rivera said, “I am proud to partner with a group of elected officials and local organizations who push our community forward and provide essential services to those in need. In connecting residents to vital resources, the well-being of the community improves and strengthens our communal bonds.”

John Mika, Director of The Teacher’s Desk, said, “I want to thank Assemblymember Rivera, Councilmember Rivera and Community Canvases for offering their support to our community. We are blessed to have played a small role, and we look forward to working together in the future to provide for those most in need.”

Debbie Lombardo, President of the Buffalo Board of Block Clubs, said, “The Board of Block Clubs is working to maintain and stabilize our neighborhoods one block at a time. When you create a block club, you are working to help bring the neighbors together work to keep the neighborhood safe and provide a sense of community. I thank Assemblyman Rivera for helping to organize an event that helps progress that mission.”

Katherine Pessecow, Co-founder of Community Canvases, said, “Now more than ever, it’s so important people come together and learn about what’s going on in their community. Mass Ave. Park is a very special place that’s near and dear to everyone in the neighborhood. It’s the perfect location to let groups showcase what services and programs people of all ages are able to participate in. We send a very special thank you to all of the volunteers, partnering groups, Assemblyman Rivera, Councilman Rivera, and their outstanding staff who worked hard to make this fun and meaningful event possible.”