🌱 Federal Grants for Mental Health + Lexington Co-Op Program + Fire Response

Good morning, everybody! Hope your week has been treating you well. Keep reading to find out all the most important things happening in town, including updates on...

• Federal money for local mental health awareness
• Lexington Co-Op Market revolutionizing the Double Up Food Bucks program
• More amenities coming to Canalside this year

But first, today's weather:

Rain and sleet in the morning. High: 43. Low: 34.

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Here are the top stories in Buffalo today:

1. Buffalo has received two federal grants for mental health organizations. One of these grants will go to Endeavor Health Services, which will use the fund to support safe responses to mental health crises in nursing homes, primary care offices, schools, and other places. The other grant will go to Compeer Buffalo, which will use the grant to train people in mental health first aid training. For more information, visit WGRZ 2.
2. The Lexington Co-Op Market is participating in the Double Up Food Bucks program. This program allows SNAP recipients to buy double the amount of produce than the SNAP accounts for. The co-op is revolutionizing the program by matching per dollar up to $20 of produce purchased by these low-income households. People then have a year to spend the matched money. Visit WKBW 7 to learn more.
3. Fire Commissioner William Renaldo, who is responsible for emergency management, attended a pre-approved vacation to Florida while the historic blizzard came down on Buffalo. Renaldo told the Common Council meeting Tuesday, "I was in contact with every department, all of our senior leaders, all of our city department heads, commissioners, pretty much every minute of every hour of every day during my absence." Read more at WFBO NPR.
4. More bathrooms, as well as a visitor center, are coming to Canalside. "We get a lot of notes about public amenities and restrooms," said Mark Wendel, Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation's senior director of design. More details can be found via The Buffalo News.
5. A Buffalo man has been sentenced to 40 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and 4-ANPP. 4-ANPP is an impurity found in the manufacturing of fentanyl. Learn more via The Buffalo News.

Today in Buffalo:

• Wellness Walks! Tifft Nature Preserve, 10:00 A.M.
• Daytime Behind the Scenes Tour: Geology Rocks! Buffalo Museum of Science, 2:00 P.M.
• Flower Hour Happy Hour! Petal Pusher, 4:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M.
• Lexington Co-op Owner Cooking Class Series with Massachusetts Avenue Project! Massachusetts Avenue Project, 6:00 P.M. - 8:00 P.M.
• Bach & Brews: Goldberg Variations! 9th Ward, 7:00 P.M.
• The Mai! Irish Classical Theatre, 7:30 P.M. - 9:30 P.M.
• The Great Gastsby! Historic Palace Theater, 7:30 P.M. - 9:30 P.M.
• Learn to Sew! TheFoundry - Textile Lab Orientation, 6:30 P.M.
• My Vinyl Thursdays! Day's Park Tavern, 8:00 P.M. - 11:00 P.M.

From my notebook:

• Buffalo Theater History: "It's showtime! It was during this week in 1926 that Michael Shea first opened the crown jewel of Buffalo's theater district, Shea's Buffalo. The movie palace featured interiors designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany and drew crowds for years ..." (The Buffalo History Museum via Instagram)
• Teacher Residency Program: "Attention BPS parents and families. BPS has partnered with The University at Buffalo’s Graduate School of education. We are looking for people who have a Bachelor’s degree and are interested in becoming a NYS Certified teacher for Buffal..." (Buffalo Schools via Facebook)
• Bills Meme from Sunday: "*All Bills fans between 1-4:30pm yesterday*" (Step Out Buffalo via Instagram)

That's it for today! See you all tomorrow for your next update.