Gift continues Delaware North’s long history of financial and volunteer support
Photo from left to right: City of Buffalo Interim Parks Commissioner Steve Buccilli, Deputy Mayor Maria Whyte, Service Collaborative of WNY Executive Director Kate Sarata, Buffalo Olmsted Parks Board Chair Amy Abrahamson, Buffalo Olmsted Parks Executive Director Catie Stephenson, Mayor Sean Ryan, Delaware North CEO Jerry Jacobs Jr.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy announced a transformational partnership with Delaware North that will strengthen both the long term sustainability and day-to-day stewardship of Buffalo’s historic Olmsted Park system.
Through a comprehensive investment in both long term sustainability and immediate operational capacity, Delaware North has committed a $1 million leadership gift to the Conservancy’s Endowment Campaign and is supporting a new partnership between the Conservancy and The Service Collaborative that will place five Buffalo Service Corps AmeriCorps members in Buffalo’s parks to advance specialized field projects and stewardship efforts. Together, these investments represent a comprehensive commitment to preserving Olmsted’s legacy while building the capacity needed to care for the park system today and into the future.
The $1 million gift advances the Conservancy’s Endowment Campaign, an effort to establish a permanent source of support for the operations and maintenance of Buffalo’s internationally significant Olmsted designed parks and parkways. Income generated from the endowment will provide long-term financial stability and help safeguard the future of Buffalo’s historic landscapes.
At the same time, Delaware North’s support of a partnership with The Service Collaborative’s Buffalo Service Corps will bring five AmeriCorps members to the Conservancy’s operations team. Working alongside Conservancy staff, members will support specialized projects across the park system, including landscape stewardship, ecological management, restoration initiatives, and horticultural projects.
“Buffalo’s parks are among the region’s most important public assets,” said Delaware North CEO Jerry Jacobs Jr. “They improve quality of life, strengthen neighborhoods, attract visitors, and contribute to our community’s economic vitality. We are proud to support the Conservancy’s vision by investing in both the long-term sustainability of the park system and the people who care for it every day.”
Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, Buffalo’s park system was the first coordinated system of parks and parkways in the United States and remains one of the nation’s most significant historic landscapes. The Conservancy’s endowment campaign seeks to establish a permanent financial foundation that will support the care and preservation of these treasured public spaces for generations to come.