BUFFALO, NY (WKBW) — A Buffalo pastor in the NFL spotlight for his amazing work in our community is being honored as a changemaker.
“I am deeply humbled by the fact that they selected me,” responded Pastor James Giles.
Congratulations to Pastor James Giles! @NFL honored him with "NFL Inspire Change - Changemaker" award. “I am deeply humbled by the fact that they selected me." @BuffaloBills @WKBW pic.twitter.com/FgHWaucv5e
— Eileen Buckley (@eileenwkbw) December 16, 2022
I caught up with Pastor Giles at his office inside Back to Basics Outreach Ministries in Buffalo days after receiving the NFL Inspire Change — Changemaker award.
The NFL recognized him for his “impactful” social justice work and for serving underserved communities for more than 25 years.
“I style myself as a servant — I'm here to help our community,” explained Pastor Giles.
And a servant he is — Pastor Giles has tackled some of the most difficult times in the east Buffalo community working as a Buffalo Peacemaker alongside other organizations to demand safer streets.
“I wanted to respond to the needs of the people — whatever that looked like,” Pastor Giles explained.
But the most challenging moment came in May when a white supremacist murdered ten community members in a racially-motivated attack at the Tops Market on Jefferson Avenue. An admitted gunman said he intentionally targeted them because they were Black.
“I knew that communities around the nation would experience this type of assault. I was a little surprised it happened here not really startled by it because of what was happening around the nation,” reflected Pastor Giles.
The NFL says the pastor “embodies" four pillars in capturing this special award.
The Pastor's work:
- Criminal Justice Reform
- Police Community Relations
- Youth Education
- Mentoring
- Economic Advancement
“We service those individuals that are often time neglected and forgotten and/or because they made bad choices in their life because, they didn't have many choices to deal with and how do we begin to restore them,” described Pastor Giles.
Pastor Giles's work is evident in the many moments our cameras have captured him walking the city streets at night with Buffalo Peacemakers fighting against violence and at community giveaways.
Pastor Giles calls the NFL award “prestigious”, but even in his social media post, a very humble pastor made sure to give a 'shout-out' to other Peacemakers, the F.A.T.H.E.R's organization, and Buffalo Bills players — praising them for their work and support to the community.
