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Carolyn B. Thomas federal courthouse in Buffalo

Carolyn B. Thomas federal courthouse in Buffalo

85 signatures 15 to reach 100
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PATRICIA J. signed
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cheryl y. signed
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Started by Anonymous 17 years, 4 months ago
Our intention is to draw support for the nameing of a new courthose building in Buffalo, N.Y. after a local hero, Carolyn B. Thomas, who is credited with founding the Food Bank of Western New York. News of her death has raised here profile to the attention of the community and we have learned that as a Africian American woman, which hadit's share of prejedices even today was able to found an orgaination that means so much to so many. To name a building after her would show to Buffaloians, the "City of Good Neigboors" that helping people is important and valued so much -that we'll honour it - with the naming of a building after a person who helped an entire city beyond measure. Carolyn B. Thomas was a tireless volunteer and longtime advocate in Buffalo's African community, Mrs. Thomas volunteered with a wide range of organizations, from Girl Scouts to activities of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church. In the early 1970s, she was president of the Family Life Consortium, a group of representatives for medically indigent neighborhoods and agencies that worked in those areas. It was as the Council of Churches's representative to the Community Action Organization that Mrs. Thomas initiated a campaign for a food bank, which she considered her greatest achievement. She spent several years helping to locate a site for a central warehouse for the agency, which finally opened at the Seneca Industrial Center warehouse in April 1983. The Buffalo News recognized her as one of its 1983 Citizens of the Year. In 1984, Mrs. Thomas received the Buffalo Branch NAACP's Community Service Award. A few years later, as chairwoman emeritus of the Food Bank of Western New York, Mrs. Thomas was named 1990 Buffalonian of the Year by then-Mayor James B. Griffin. Other honors she received came from the Coalition of 100 Black Women, the Mary B. Talbert Club and the National Conference of Christians and Jews, among others.

Updates

April 22, 2009

READING ALL YOUR STORIES ABOUT HOW CAROLYN B. THOMAS TOUCHED YOUR LIVES HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE!! WE ARE WORKING HARD BEHIND THE SCENES TO ENSURE HER LEGACY GETS THE ATTENTION IT DESERVES IN BUFFALO!! STAY TUNED BECAUSE THIS MOMENTUM IS GENUINELY UNSTOPPABLE!!!

April 22, 2009

THIS MOMENTUM IS ABSOLUTELY UNSTOPPABLE!! CAROLYN B. THOMAS IS FINALLY GETTING THE RECOGNITION SHE DESERVES AND OUR CITY IS SHOWING UP IN A HUGE WAY!!

6 Comments

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Brenda Okafor
17 years ago Featured

Absolutely yes. She helped so many people feed their kids when they had nothing. Keeping her name alive is so important.

D
David Singh
17 years ago Featured

Long overdue. She was a saint in this community.

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Marcus Anderson
17 years ago Featured

She was a hero to all of us in Buffalo. HONOR HER NAME.

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Janet Preston
17 years ago Featured

I remember her work with the church. She never stopped working for people who had hit rock bottom. Definitely name the courthouse for her.

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Mike Olsen
17 years ago Featured

She did so much for buffalo. This is the least we can do to remember her legacy.

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Sarah Park
17 years ago Featured

Carolyn was a true gem for this city. The food bank saved my family during hard times. Name the building after her please.

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