http://digital.lib.buffalo.edu/upimage/VF_I18C_016.pdf

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Part of Westminster Church Center Wars on Hunger, September 23, 1973

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Henry Locke

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Westminster Church Center Wars on

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THE WESTMINSTER HOUS E
a t 421 Monroe St. a socialcenter in thearea bounded by Gen2 esee,Pine, William and Fillmore
100ufree
t breakis serving a b o
fasts to elementary school

pupils
Robert E. Coleman, the directo r, said with
the aid of funds,
from United Way, the Westminster. Presbyterian Church, 724
3
Delaware Ave., and the Presbyt e r yof Western New York, the
center is equipped to serve a
of 150 breakfasts each
3½ maximum
day.
He said that some preschool
children are served meals when
they come in with older sisters
4
and brothers andoccasionally
junior high school students are
served if the total number of
children for that day is less than
4•/2 the 150 maximum.

THE BREAKFASTS were
started in 1969 by the Black
Student Union at the University
of Buffalo.

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Colemansaid the centeralso
receives
additional funds for
the breakfastsfrom the American Freedom From Hunger
Foundation, contributing from
various organizations and individual donations.
"Some of the money raised
through the March on Hunger
annual campaign here is donated to keep the .breakfast program going," he said.
Students from Nichols School,
•Rosary Hill College and mem­
bers of the Westminster Presbyteria!l Church work as volunteers in the preparation and the
ser
of v
the i
breakfasts.
ng

71/2 I

THE REV. CHARLES S.

volleyball and cooking classes
and girls.
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The Rev. Mr. Smith said the
programs are designed to serve
the youths as well asthe adults
in their given boundaries.

for boys

SENIOR CITIZENS

usually

attend the center during th e
day
when the youths are i n
· school, and the activities offered are similar to those offered
the youths.
"They are still interested In
learning to cook special dishes·
they enjoy Bible discussions and
going to the Science Museum
and some of them serve as
volunteers in our youth programs," the clergyman said.
He said more than 200 youths
attended the Westminster Summer Camp in Angola this summer andmany more participated
in trips to the Ontario Museum
of Science in Toronto, the
science and historical museum
is here.

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IN 1967 the United Way of
Buffalo and Erie County joined
in with financial support of the
organization.
Presently, an integrated staff
of 14 parttime employes the
director, program dlrector and
10 volunteers administer the
programs to an average of 200
persons five days a week. The
center is closed on Saturdays
and Sundays.

A health referral is part of

the program offered at the cenand testing for sickle cell
anemia and venereal disease
also are conducted.
THE WESTMINSTER House
was formed in 1894 when the
community was predominantly
German. The center supplied
55 German families with all
their needs including medical
care
that year.
In 1896 recreation and athlethe programs were started and
in 1898 a branch library was
instituted. That same library
now is known as the Malcolm
X Library in honor of the civil
rights leader who was slain in i

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1965•

SMITH, program director of the
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when the Presbytery of Western
New York certified the programs and started contributing
financial support.
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Also in 1898, the first kindergarten class in the center was
center, said other programsare
started and in 1908 an employ- I
helping to meet the nee
of the d
ment office was started. That
adults as well.
N ew York State Employ ment
'-They include a Head Start
Service in 1938.
program, sponsored by the Task
The Westminster PresbyterForce for Cooperatlve Metroian Church supplied all the
politan Ministry on the East
financial support for the center
Side and the Wider Horizon program that is designed to tutor
elementary school children on
the one-on-one basis.
Also offered
Bible classes,
dancing, weaving, sewing, trips,
a summer camp, basketball,

are

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