About Us

Seneca Street Community Development Corporation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit located in the Seneca Babcock community between South Buffalo and the East Side.

A group of kids and staff gathered on the steps of Seneca Street CDC

Building Seneca-Babcock

The families and children in Seneca Babcock are always welcome at the Seneca Street CDC. Thanks to everyone’s generosity, we are glad to be able to continue to serve—and be supported by—the Seneca Babcock community.

We offer free After-School and Teen Programs for students in K-12th grades, where we provide tutoring, mentoring, a variety of clubs and activities, and a free, nutritious meal every day.

Seneca Street CDC summer program kids at the AKG Art Museum

In the summer, our free six-week Summer at Seneca Street Program gives children in grades K-8 a chance to participate in a variety of enrichment activities and theme weeks. Teens from our Teen Program work at our summer program as program assistants, employed through the Mayor's Summer Youth Program.

In collaboration with other community groups, we also help run a Community Garden with free garden plots that allows families to grow their own produce and gives children the opportunity to learn hands-on about healthy foods and try new fruits and vegetables.

All of our programming is offered free of charge and is made possible by the generosity of those who give to our organization. We also rely heavily on our hard-working staff and fantastic volunteers, many of whom grew up in the Seneca Babcock neighborhood.

Our Mission

The Seneca Street Community Development Corporation partners with our neighbors in the Seneca Babcock community to provide a supportive environment to overcome educational, social and economic barriers. We provide opportunities for the entire community to acquire skills that build resiliency and self-reliance, enhancing the quality of life and potential for current and future generations in our neighborhood.

Our Vision

Seneca Babcock youth will have the confidence, skills, passion, and purpose to achieve their goals and be active participants in their lives and community.

A young boy receiving help with his homework from a Seneca Street volunteer
A group of kids and their tutor at After-School Program
A group of kids playing outdoors at Seneca Street CDC

About the
Seneca-Babcock
neighborhood

The Seneca Babcock neighborhood flourished until the state built the Thruway in the 1950s, splitting the community. The devastation sent people packing.

As a result, the two schools—one public, one Catholic—closed. The neighborhood transformed into one of the city’s poorest and many families in our neighborhood live below the poverty line. Many children end up dropping out of school due to lack of transportation and positive role models. The neighborhood is also classified as having food scarcity, meaning the people who live there do not have easy access to fresh fruits, vegetables, and other healthy options.

Since being formally incorporated in 2009, the Seneca Street CDC has helped to resolve these issues by providing positive learning spaces and healthy foods that allow the children to grow into their full potential. We believe that every child deserves the same opportunities, regardless of where they're from.

We operate out of the Seneca Street United Methodist Church building, collaborating with local community members, churches, universities, and businesses to provide the greatest service possible to our neighborhood.

We Make A Difference

  • Parent Testimonial

    Having a safe place where you truly feel welcome and loved from the moment you walk in the door is a blessing; and that is exactly what Seneca Street CDC After-School Program has been to me since I was a little girl. This program ensured I wasn’t just another inner city kid statistic falling through the cracks.

    The SSCDC are always there to support and encourage students throughout the year with homework help, high school entrance exam preparations, emotional well-being, cooking classes, reading/math/science enrichment, creative learning, and so much more!

    This program provides a safe place for children to be, with so many resources to create a supportive environment for the students' development. My daughter, Lailah, and her SSCDC peers have inspired me to be the best role model possible for these individuals. In the spring and fall I volunteer as the Coach for their Girls On the Run team. I'm looking forward most to Fall 2025, which will be my sixth 5K with Girls On the Run & my first 5K coaching my daughter!

    I like to give back to the community that was there for me as a child by being a positive influence and empowering the children with words of encouragement. This enrichment program helps teach the participants to be a good friend, be healthy, and builds their confidence for future success.

    Miss Destiny

  • Partner Testimonial

    Thank you for all you do to support the community through the trials and tribulations they face on an ongoing basis. You and your team truly embody the Phillippians principle: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but the interests of others.”

    Beth Kinsman Gosch
    Executive Director, Western New York Foundation

Meet Our Staff

  • Cheryl Bird

    Cheryl Bird

    VOLUNTEER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    EMAIL
  • Jamie Ryder

    Jamie Ryder

    DIRECTOR OF
    OPERATIONS

    EMAIL
  • Melanie Janesz

    Melanie Janesz

    YOUTH PROGRAM
    DIRECTOR

    EMAIL
  • Beth Ewen

    Beth Ewen

    OFFICE & FINANCE ADMINISTRATOR

    EMAIL
  • Alicia Casey

    Alicia Casey

    TEEN PROGRAM
    DIRECTOR

    EMAIL
  • Briteny Benthien

    Briteny Benthien

    AFTER SCHOOL TUTOR

  • Briana Green

    Briana Green

    AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM ASSISTANT AND GIRLS ON THE RUN COACH

  • Marisa Green

    Marisa Green

    AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM ASSISTANT

Our Board of Directors

  • Cheryl Bird

    Cheryl Bird

    VOLUNTEER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Retired Executive Director
    Center for Sustainable Communities
    Daemen University

  • Matthew Sydor

    Matthew Sydor

    PRESIDENT

    Project Manager
    Roswell Park

  • Rev. Brian Rotach

    Rev. Brian Rotach

    VICE PRESIDENT

    Retired Pastor
    Seneca Street United Methodist Church

  • Karen Howard

    Karen Howard

    TREASURER

    Retired EVP Kei Advisors
    Retired CFO Columbus McKinnon Corp.

  • MacKenzie Campbell

    MacKenzie Campbell

    SECRETARY

    Production Scientist I, Virologist
    Antylia Scientific
    Former participant
    SSCDC Youth Program

  • Nick Bell

    Nick Bell

    BOARD MEMBER

    Purchasing Manager
    Novair

  • Aaron Featherman

    Aaron Featherman

    BOARD MEMBER

    Master Planner
    PCB Piezotronics

  • Alex Joss

    Alex Joss

    BOARD MEMBER

    Financial Accountant
    Buffalo Bills, LLC

  • Nick Hennig

    Nick Hennig

    BOARD MEMBER

    Senior Vice President,
    Senior Product Owner
    M&T Bank

  • Cameron Smith

    Cameron Smith

    BOARD MEMBER

    Finance & Operations Director
    TechBuffalo

  • Greg Pokriki

    Greg Pokriki

    BOARD MEMBER

    Communications Manager
    Invest Buffalo Niagara

Join the Team

We’re currently looking for program volunteers and paid tutors! Seneca Street CDC is a well-supported organization with strong partnerships with Buffalo businesses, public agencies and charitable organizations.

Financial Information

We are registered with the New York State Attorney General’s Charities Bureau. A copy of our latest annual report may be obtained by contacting us or from the New York State Attorney General’s Charities Bureau, 28 Liberty Street, 19th Floor, New York, New York 10005. Donors may verify our status by reviewing our GuideStar profile.