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    BFNC PRIDE: Chandra Redfern's Leadership Thoughts Listed in 2021 Biz First Recap

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    C-Level Strategies: Recapping a year’s worth of strategies
    Buffalo Business First

    By   –  Digital editor, Buffalo Business First

    https://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/news/2021/12/31/c-level-strategies-2021.html

    EXCERPT FROM ARTICLE
    Her goal is to develop both the agency and the next generation of leaders.   Here’s how:

    • Keep growing a diverse workforce that reflects the community the agency is serving. She recognizes that she can be a role model to show people they can work their way up into other opportunities. 

    “You don’t want people to be in a job necessarily that they don’t find some joy or satisfaction in,” she said. “Sometimes people feel trapped, so how do we retrain the workforce that we have, how do we help people identify where they can go next and what tools do we provide internally and externally to help people achieve those goals.”

    A Season of Celebrating & Creating Holiday Memories

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    The BFNC First Holiday Cheer Decoration Contest
    Our new CEO announced an office Holiday Cheer Decoration Contest and the BFNC Team members got busy planning the ultimate holiday decorations. It’s true, engaging projects CAN bring out the best. The decoration competition was an opportunity for staff to work together as teams. What we learned is that our staff are innovators, and each task is embraced as a labor of care.

    Two Teams Selected!
    Two teams were announced as the winners – It’s A Wonderful Life and A Classic Christmas.

    Description of “It’s A Wonderful Life” theme
    Images of the decoration theme “It’s A Wonderful Life” The decorations take you through an outside winter scene to the warm and festive look inside a Victorian Holiday home. Just imagine … snowflakes, outside door scenes with snow, warm and cozy fireside scene, decorative doors inside the home and other rooms showing holiday decorative scenes. The trainset actually works! Congratulations It’s a Wonderful Life Team!

     

    Description of “A Classic Christmas” theme
    Featuring the images of A CLASSIC CHRISTMAS. Our offices were decorated with Designs by Jeri Becton that include classic images of our childhoods – Santa, Santa Elf, a snowman, the Grinch who stole Christmas, a Gingerbread house, little Rudolph the Reindeer, and the Abominable Snowman. Creativity Standout included a Holiday wreath that incorporated the BFNC new logo. Other festive decorations added by the team included two Christmas trees, decorative doors and wrapped office boards. Congratulations Team!

    BFNC PRIDE RESONATES

    Photos of the Neighborhood House

    Photos of the Westminster Community House

    The Westminster Community House is decorated for the holidays. The photos provide a look at some of the decorations. Look closely … the Christmas tree includes small 45 records as part of the tree decorations. Why? We are saluting a Motown Christmas – remembering the classic Christmas tunes and how they make us feel. Enjoy https://youtu.be/ruykf76D0l0

    Our First Breakfast with Santa in the Fruit Belt Community
    The CEO expressed that she wanted to host a single parent family Holiday event to provide a morning of uplifting parents and their children. The BFNC staff and several volunteers such as the members of Jack and Jill of America Incorporated, Buffalo Chapter and numerous gift donors worked to make the breakfast an enjoyable success. Our guests selected their hot breakfast choices and were served by volunteers. After their breakfast, there was the Big Raffle! Raffle items included a large flat screen TV, an Air fryer, Visa Gift cards, movie theme baskets, and more. After the raffle storyteller Karima Amin shared two engaging stories with the families. Story Time was followed by a visit from Santa and his little helpers. To the families surprise each family received a bag of gifts for the children and a special comfort bag filled with relaxing gift items for the parents. We look forward to creating “Breakfast with Santa” 2022!  The photos help tell the story. More Photos can be seen on Facebook @buffalobfnc.

    The Holiday Smiles Were Uplifting


    Santa was a Standout

    Great Things Happen with Great People and Caring Hearts
     

    A THANK YOU TO SPONORS, GIFT DONORS and COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTORS

    West Herr Chevy of Williamsville *(GOLD SPONSOR)

    Colby Development, LLC
    Doing The Will of God Church
    Ephesus Ministries
    Jack and Jill of America Incorporated, Buffalo Chapter
    BFNC Board of Directors

    GIFT DONORS

    Elmwood Kiwanis Club
    Evans Bank Tonawanda and Amherst Branches
    Home Beneath Our Feet, Inc.

    COMMUNITY HELPERS who saw a need and helped in so many ways.

    Debbie of Interior Furniture
    Mike of Southwest Spirits
    Thaddeus Dunn, the Founder and CEO of Right Fit Recruiting, LLC
    Photos by Nancy Parisi www.nancyjparisi.com

     

     

     

    An Americorps Member Opportunity

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    DEAR AMERICORPS MEMBER:

    YOUR TALENTS ARE NEEDED. JOIN OUR TEAM TO HELP US UPLIFT and SERVE COMMUNTY.

    The Covid-19 Pandemic has created many changes. We view it as an opportunity to create transformational change as we serve the Buffalo Community.

    The BFNC Hope Center is looking to secure one full-time AmeriCorps member to serve as a “Hope Center Community Empowerment Specialist” in our neighborhood based, one-stop financial opportunity center located at BFNC Hope Center – 45 Jewett Avenue, Suite 250, Buffalo NY 14214.

    • The BFNC Hope Center Community Empowerment Specialist will be responsible in the development of volunteer recruitment and engagement strategies and fostering client engagement in Hope Center services and activities.

      The member will engage in the following activities at the BFNC Hope Center:
      1. Implement capacity building strategies for volunteer recruitment and engagement with the BFNC Hope Center.
      2. Conduct community outreach to attend financial literacy and coaching workshops.
      3. Facilitate financial literacy workshops.
      4. Perform VITA intake and tax preparation.
      5. Work with clients on budgeting and utilizing the Provider APP a free software developed for low income families.

      CONTACT: Daysi Ball, Director BFNC Hope Center
      dball@bfnc.org
      716-853-0600

    New CEO Featured in Buffalo Business First

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    Lessons learned: Incoming BFNC CEO Chandra Redfern sets leadership strategy

    Jul 14, 2021, 6:00am    Article written by Business First Reporter, Tracey Drury

    Photo by JOED VIERA

    EXCERPT

    Chandra Redfern, CEO, Buffalo Federation of Neighborhood Center, has been at the nonprofit for 20 years including the past four as it’s COO.

    Though she just took the reins as CEO this month, Chandra Redfern has been integral to the growth and management at Buffalo Federation of Neighborhood Centers for 20 years, including the last four as chief operating officer.

    In fact, that journey prepared her to lead the organization including her experience in housing, mental health case management and adolescent pregnancy prevention.

    Redfern used that knowledge to help manage a $21 million redevelopment of the agency’s Westminster Commons project, turning a historic but rundown facility on Buffalo’s East Side into an 84-unit apartment building for lower-income seniors, people with behavioral health issues and individuals at-risk for homelessness, plus a medical clinic and an on-site Evans Bank branch.    Read Complete Article@ https://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/news/2021/07/14/lessons-learned-incoming-bfnc-ceo-chandra-redfern.html

     

    Buffalo Federation of Neighborhood Centers logo, Buffalo NY

    BFNC’s doors are open to all people and communities – helping them navigate a path from where they are to where they want to be.

    CONTACT BFNC

    716.852.5065

    2365 Main Street
    Buffalo, NY 14214

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