BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — "Save Weinberg" was the message that rang out during a picket outside of the New York State Department of Health regional office in Downtown Buffalo on Tuesday.
Those who were picketing hoped to convince the state to reconsider the approved closure plan for Weinberg Campus' Rosa Coplon Living Center.
On Monday, elected officials joined residents, families, and workers to call on the New York State Department of Health to "save" the Rosa Coplon Living Center. You can watch our report below and read more here.
I spoke with those who were rallying to keep the facility open.
"It's been hard on us," Weinberg Campus Employee, Shakia Jones explained. "I do what I can for them and they depend on us and it's all being snatched away from all of us."
Those were the heartbroken words from Jones who has worked at Weinberg for more than six years.
"We have no health insurance right now. He just had major surgery. I don't have thousands of dollars to pay for the coverage that we lost in August. We found out on Saturday, we had no health insurance," Christina Tonge shared.
That was a harsh reality for Tonge and her family, whose husband has worked at Weinberg Campus for more than 30 years.
"When I first started working there, it was a beautiful place and we can bring it back to that," Weinberg Campus Employee LaCearne Toni Banks said.
"I would like to know, Governor Hochul, why you can't save this facility," Carol Czarniak said. "Why? If your mother was there, what would you do? I know that you would save this campus."
"We are a family, the employees are why I rest easier at night knowing that my mother is taken care of," Czarniak shared. "My mother will not survive a transfer. I have looked at more than 10 facilities to try and put my mother in because we are being rushed out of there. Nobody has beds. There are no beds available. So, it's not like I can just take my mother and put her somewhere else. I don't want to put her anywhere else. I am her primary caregiver, along with my sisters, and I am telling you--please save this campus."
"We've heard reports from family members that they are struggling to find nursing homes that will accept their residents, particularly nursing homes where they want their residents to be. You heard from the family members today, they don't have an option in front of them that they are comfortable with," 1199SEIU Vice President for WNY Nursing Homes Grace Bogdanove said.
The union said 50 residents within the Rosa Coplon Living Center have been moved out so far.
"Fix this. New York State, you have the power to fix this and to save these lives. Please do something," Tonge added.
7 News received the following statement from the NYSDOH earlier this week:
“Our top priority is ensuring the safety and welfare of residents and their families following Weinberg’s decision to present its closure plan to the State Department of Health. The depth of Weinberg’s financial problems means that holding out months for a receivership would create an unacceptable risk for the residents’ safety and welfare. For these reasons, DOH is moving forward with Weinberg’s approved closure plan and the orderly transfer of residents to nearby facilities that will deliver the care and support they need. The State is committed to working with any entity interested in purchase of the Weinberg nursing home with the goal of sustaining these beds in the long term.”
On Wednesday, there will be a job fair for the roughly 300 employees who are expected to lose their jobs soon.
The job fair will be at Weinberg Campus from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
