City of Buffalo's AmeriCorps VISTA Project M.O.V.E. Buffalo

The City of Buffalo launched Project M.O.V.E. Buffalo – Mobilizing Opportunities for Volunteer Experience in 2016 as an effort to eradicate poverty and solve complex social problems. As a government institution, it has become more critical to serve as the hub for community collaboration and public discourse. In line with the Mayor’s Economic Opportunity Taskforce: a roadmap for reducing poverty in the City of Buffalo, Project M.O.V.E Buffalo expects to direct VISTA resources in the Economic Opportunity and Healthy Futures focus areas to leverage existing efforts in lifting residents out of poverty in the City of Buffalo, and uses the knowledge gained from those investments to encourage others to do the same.

Project M.O.V.E. VISTA members support the city’s initiatives by capturing valuable lessons from organizations/partners that have engaged in successful capacity building. In this model, collaborations have been built with community stakeholders/partners who share the goal of providing long-lasting initiatives that aim to decrease poverty and increase quality of life for residents in the City of Buffalo.