named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Coordinated Entry System
Regional system that prioritizes housing placements for individuals and families experiencing homelessness based on vulnerability and homelessness history, operating across Erie, Niagara, Genesee, Orleans, and Wyoming counties.
Homeless Management Information System (HMIS WNY)
Regional database that collects, shares, and reports data on individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness; used for service coordination, performance monitoring, and federal reporting.
Point-In-Time (PIT) Count
Annual community-wide effort to count individuals experiencing homelessness on a single night in January, conducted in collaboration with shelters, outreach teams, and volunteers across five counties.
activities · 5 groups
What they do
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Urban Policy and Equity Research 2 activities
- Conduct annual Point-In-Time Count of homelessnessOrganizes and conducts an annual 24-hour Point-In-Time (PIT) count to assess the extent of homelessness across five Western New York counties, informing regional planning and reporting.
- Conduct research on homelessness trends and system performanceConducts original research to understand the extent and nature of homelessness, including annual Point-In-Time data analysis and production of the NY-508 System Performance Measures Summary Report for Fiscal Year 2025, and estimates that over 7,000 individuals experience homelessness annually in Western New York.
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Supportive and Emergency Housing Services 2 activities
- House individuals and connect clients to servicesHoused 1,339 individuals and connected 6,131 clients to essential services in the current year.
- Lead Coordinated Entry system for homelessness servicesLeads the Coordinated Entry (CE) system for the NY-508 region, prioritizing individuals and families for housing based on vulnerability and homelessness history, implemented in 2017.
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Housing Policy Advocacy & Tenant Organizing 1 activity
- Advocate for supportive housing policy and fundingAdvocates for supportive housing funding and policy by participating in state-level initiatives such as the 2026 State Lobby Day at the New York State Capitol.
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Public Awareness and Educational Outreach 1 activity
- Host community education events on older adult homelessnessHosts free public screenings, panel discussions, and community conversations on older adult homelessness in collaboration with community partners, including events centered on the documentary No Place to Grow Old.
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Uncategorized 5 activities
- Administer Homeless Management Information System (HMIS)Operates as the HMIS Lead for the NY-508 Continuum of Care, managing the Homeless Management Information System by providing system administration, training, technical assistance, data monitoring, reporting, and maintaining a knowledge base of best practices for service providers in Western New York.
- Build capacity of homelessness service providersBuilds regional capacity by publishing the Continuum Chronicles newsletter to share housing investment updates and partnerships, and by developing shared knowledge resources for service providers.
- Coordinate homelessness services across Western New YorkCoordinates homelessness services across five counties in Western New York (Erie, Niagara, Genesee, Orleans, and Wyoming) as the Continuum of Care (CoC) Lead Agency for region NY-508, ensuring system-wide coordination and compliance with federal standards.
- Secure funding to combat homelessnessSecured $23.7 million in resources to combat homelessness in a single year through advocacy and grant applications.
- Submit annual Continuum of Care funding applicationsPrepares and submits the annual Continuum of Care application to secure HUD and state funding for homelessness programs, supporting approximately $24 million in HUD CoC funding.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.62M
Contributions & grants$1.50M93%
Program service revenue$116K7%
Investment income$3K0%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$1.37M
Program expenses86%
Admin / overhead14%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$921K
Grants paid out$49K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.07M
Cash$345K
Investments$295K
Liabilities$350K
Net assets$717K
Liquid reserves5.6 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +23.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 3
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| KEXIN MA | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $103K |
| JARRETT STEFFAN | OPERATIONS MANAGER (TO 7/12/24) | 40 | $37K |
| MICHAEL DEVINE | OPERATIONS MANAGER (BEG 7/22/24) | 40 | $30K |
board members · 12
- CHRIS SYRACUSE — DIRECTOR
- JOHN MCMAHON — DIRECTOR
- JOY TEDESCHI — VICE CHAIR
- KEN GHOLSTON — CHAIR
- KIM TOLLEY — DIRECTOR
- LUANNE FIRESTONE — DIRECTOR
- MARY HANSON — DIRECTOR
- MICHAEL HENRY — DIRECTOR
- PETER WARN — DIRECTOR
- ROBYN KRUEGER — DIRECTOR
- SR MARY AUGUSTA KAISER — DIRECTOR
- VAN JORGALI — TREASURER
relationships · 31
Who they work with
- 65 Partner organizations Partner — Collaborates with 65 partner organizations to end homelessness in Western New York.
- Belmont Housing Resources for WNY Partner — Partner organization whose staff were honored at the 20th anniversary luncheon.
- Buffalo & Erie County Public Library Partner — Co-presents a free community screening and panel discussion on older adult homelessness.
- Buffalo City Mission Partner — Partner organization whose staff were honored at the 20th anniversary luncheon.
- Cazenovia Recovery Funder — Silver sponsor of the 20th anniversary luncheon.
- Center for Elder Law & Justice Partner — Provides panelist expertise for community discussions on older adult homelessness.
- Community Missions of Niagara Frontier, Inc. Partner — Partner organization whose staff were honored at the 20th anniversary luncheon.
- Compass House Partner — Partner organization whose staff were honored at the 20th anniversary luncheon.
- Cornerstone Manor, Buffalo City Mission Partner — Partner organization whose staff were honored at the 20th anniversary luncheon.
- Delaware North Funder — Silver sponsor of the 20th anniversary luncheon.
- Erie County Department for the Aging Partner — Provides panelist expertise for community discussions on older adult homelessness.
- Erie County Department of Social Services Government — Government agency whose staff were honored at the 20th anniversary luncheon.
- Erie County Legislature Government — Established the organization in 1992 as the Erie County Commission on Homelessness.
- Gerard Place Partner — Partner organization whose staff were honored at the 20th anniversary luncheon.
- HMIS WNY Partners Partner — Collaborates with service provider organizations in Western New York to manage and utilize the regional Homeless Management Information System.
- Living Opportunities of DePaul Partner — Partner organization whose staff were honored at the 20th anniversary luncheon.
- MM Development Funder — Silver sponsor of the 20th anniversary luncheon.
- NY-508 Continuum of Care Network — Member of the NY-508 Continuum of Care, participating in system-wide performance measurement using HMIS data.
- Neighborhood Health Center Funder — Bronze sponsor of the 20th anniversary luncheon.
- PayPal Network — Platform used for hosting online fundraising campaigns.
- Rental Assistance Corporation Funder — Silver sponsor of the 20th anniversary luncheon.
- Rich Products Funder — Gold sponsor of the 20th anniversary luncheon.
- Spectrum Health Funder — Gold sponsor of the 20th anniversary luncheon.
- Spectrum Human Services Partner — Partner organization whose staff were honored at the 20th anniversary luncheon.
- Supportive Housing Network of New York Network — Member organization collaborating on supportive housing advocacy and policy.
- The Salvation Army Partner — Partner organization whose staff were honored at the 20th anniversary luncheon.
- Transitional Services, Inc. Partner — Partner organization whose staff were honored at the 20th anniversary luncheon.
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Government — Primary federal agency overseeing the Continuum of Care program and providing regulatory guidance and funding.
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Government — Primary source of Continuum of Care funding for regional homelessness services
- United Way Funder — Funder whose staff were honored at the 20th anniversary luncheon.
+ 1 more
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Capacity Building through Training and Shared Expertisemethodology: capacity_building_through_trainingBy providing training, continuous support, and best practices to service providers, the organization strengthens the overall homeless service network, because improving provider capacity and data consistency leads to more effective and coordinated service delivery.
- Coordinated Entry with Vulnerability-Based Prioritizationmethodology: coordinated_entryBy using a centralized Coordinated Entry System with vulnerability-based prioritization, the organization ensures that the most at-risk individuals experiencing homelessness are connected to housing and services first, because targeting those in greatest need reduces duration and recurrence of homelessness.
- Data-Driven Coordination and Performance Measurementmethodology: data-driven coordinationBy collecting and using HMIS and system-level data for reporting and strategic planning, the organization improves coordination across providers and measures performance, because reliable data enables accountability, identifies gaps, and informs effective resource deployment across the homeless service system.
- Systems Change through Cross-Sector Collaboration and Advocacymethodology: systems_changeBy fostering coordinated strategic action across government, public, and private sectors and advocating for policy changes, the organization drives systemic reform to make homelessness rare, brief, and nonrecurring, because sustainable change requires altering structural conditions and resource allocation within the Continuum of Care.