Asarese Youth Center Partnership
Buffalo State College, with its mission to enhance the quality of life in the larger community, has officially "adopted" the Asarese Matters Youth Center, a vital recreational site for youngsters, one block from the College on the west side of Buffalo. In order to address issues facing the center, a group called the Friends of Asarese was formed and includes both campus and community stakeholders.
The center, established in April of 1989 as an athletic/educational facility for inner city youth, has a gym, some recreational equipment, and an outdoor swimming pool. There are about 300 youth per week who attend the center on a regular basis. The majority are from low income families and some are newly arrived refugees. Reading levels of the youth are often below grade level and/or they have language barriers. For some, the Asarese Center represents a "safe haven" in which to play and learn.
As the local economy has suffered, many youth centers have either closed or severely reduced their services. Recognizing that the Asarese Center is a vital community resource, Buffalo State stepped in to partner with the center.
Three areas of improvement were identified. The physical plant needs rehab. The programming/educational piece lacks staff, materials and equipment, such as computers. Finally, the security of the center needs upgrading to ensure safety of youth/staff and protection of property.
Buffalo State College faculty, staff, and community partners provided the momentum for progress at the center. The Friends of Asarese made arrangements with the City of Buffalo and Erie County to address the leaks and other cosmetic improvements to the physical plant. Art supplies and books were donated. Buffalo State students provided tutoring and service learning to enhance their own study of social work and psychology. Design students used information from the center's youth to produce a proposal to improve interior physical spaces. The BSC Athletic Department supplied paint and flooring along with student help for the center. Tom Koller, Assistant Athletic Director at BSC, chairs the Friends of Asarese.
A well-known expert in Crime Prevention through Environmental Design conducted a comprehensive security plan, free of charge, for the Asarese Center and a Buffalo Police Captain provided expertise on summer security issues.
Students from the sociology department compiled an impressive report on a study of the youth at the center. Key issues included the lack of activities for girls and the overall poverty of the youth at the center. A Thursday Girls Night for crafts and socializing was introduced. During the summer, thanks to the staff from the BSC Volunteer and Service Learning Department, Asarese youth had free nutritional lunches. In collaboration with the BSC Alumni Office and the Office of College and Community Partnerships two clothing sales were conducted at the center. Neighborhood families were able to acquire clothes based on their ability to pay. During the holidays over 100 youth at the center received gift bags of toiletries donated by BSC and the community.
NYS Assemblymember Sam Hoyt is securing funding for a new gym floor at the center. He also donated several computers soon to be installed in the new computer room.
The successes to date are appreciated by the long time director of the center, Mike Milovich, who often works with just one other staff member. Mike is both loved and respected by the youth at the center. The Friends of Asarese has been exploring strategies for more staffing to expand the availability of sport and educational activities.
The Family Justice Center of Erie County is a one-stop facility that houses all of the service providers needed by victims of domestic violence. The mission of the Family Justice Center is to develop and sustain a collaboration which delivers services that enable people to live safely, free from domestic violence and that advocates offender accountability. The Family Justice Center (FJC) is considered one of Erie County’s most valuable resources whose partners include legal, judicial, law enforcement, governmental, social based, faith based and community based partners.
How can you get involved? The FJC has a donation wish list and the following items are needed:
For the facility
Books regarding Domestic Violence
Pocket folders
Reams of paper
Magazine racks
CD players/CDs
Digital video camera
For the children’s waiting area
Baby bottles
Sippy cups
Pacifiers
Children’s books (12-16 years)
Learning educational toys
DVD/VHS movies
Computer games
Video game system and games
Call the FJC at 558-5261 to make donation arrangements.
