Our Mission
We R Buffalo Strong is committed to offering assistance and provisions to the homeless community in Buffalo. Our ultimate goal is to ensure that every unhoused man, woman and child can enjoy nourishing, home-cooked meals and suitable clothing, some of which are veterans. With our heartfelt initiative, we strive to uplift and empower those who require help, fostering a community that is not only stronger but also more resilient, where everyone feels encouraged and Buffalo strong.
My name is Evette Phillips-Garcia. I am a wife, mother, and grandmother, as well as the founder of We R Buffalo Strong, an organization I established in 2013 to provide food and clothing to homeless individuals, including men, women, children, and veterans in Buffalo. Starting WRBS with just a limited amount of funds and public assistance, I took my four kids downtown with sandwiches and started passing them out. As a single mother, hearing and knowing your children deserve more can be a difficult feeling to grasp but I wanted to show them they don’t have it that bad. I ultimately wanted to teach them the importance of gratitude and how you should appreciate what you have while you have it. This experience led to the creation of WE R BUFFALO STRONG. My commitment has given me the honor to be named a humanitarian, Red Cross’ Real Hero, and the recipient of The Woman Touching The World award.
With the support of my community, my organization has provided meals for over 30,000 individuals. We R Buffalo Strong offers hope and a sense of normalcy to the unhoused during challenging times, emphasizing that homelessness is a situation, not a definition of who they are. This is why we serve them with dignity and dine with them on occasion. By sharing my passion for cooking with other individuals, my volunteers and I are able to host family-style events such as BBQ picnics with a live DJ, Buffalo Bills tailgating, and even cosmetic enhancements including haircuts/hairstyles, and manicures, all held under the viaduct.
WRBS brings people from diverse backgrounds together, regardless of their background to serve the less fortunate. I am grateful for the path that God has chosen for me, allowing me to spread love to those who are often forgotten.
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