BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — One organization in Buffalo is celebrating a huge milestone Back To Basics Ministries is celebrating 25 years of community service in the Queen City.
They’re actually the group that started the WNY Peacemakers and and other programs to combat crime in Buffalo.
"People know more about the Peacemakers which is a program of Back to Basics than they do Back to Basics," said Pastor James Giles, President and CEO of Back to Basics Ministries.
The group was founded in the basement of a church on Jefferson avenue. The first thing they did was start food pantry and now they’ve transformed thousands of lives.
Today—they serve hundreds of people every week, working closely with SNUG, Buffalo F.A.T.H.E.R.S. and more, through re-entry programs for incarcerated, youth programs, meal programs and more.
In all of the years they’ve been in Buffalo—this is their first time hosting an anniversary celebration.
Pastor Giles says after the year they’ve had—they want to celebrate how it all started and get more recognition for back to basics.
"We are always able to meet the needs of people and our motto is that we take broken lives and give them hope and god makes it happen, so we operate from that kind of love for our community," said Pastor Giles.
To celebrate--they’ll host a small, private event on October 5 honoring those who’ve made it possible.
Featuring the stories of five people whose lives they’ve changed and a memorial for those they’ve lost over the years
They ask the public to help them celebrate by supporting their mission whether that’s showing up to events or by making a donation. To donate, click here.
