SUNY Oswego recognizes Cheryl Bird with Lifetime Award of Merit

Seneca Street CDC Executive Director Cheryl Bird

Cheryl Bird, the Seneca Street CDC’s executive director, was recognized by her alma mater, SUNY Oswego, with a Lifetime Award of Merit during the 2023 Alumni Awards.

SUNY Oswego had this to say about Cheryl:

Since 2009, Cheryl Bird ‘77 has selflessly advocated for the people of Buffalo’s Seneca Babcock community by serving as an integral part of the Seneca Street Community Development Corporation (SSCDC). Through her tireless efforts, Cheryl has helped bring positive change to her community by offering much needed resources, assistance and empathy to residents in need.

The SSCDC provides crucial services to the impoverished Seneca Babcock neighborhood, most prominently after-school, teen and summer programming for K-12 youths which provide academic assistance, meals and recreation. By offering children educational help and greater access to a positive social environment and role models, the organization aims to help increase students’ opportunities to achieve their goals and improve their quality of life. While working at Daemen College, Cheryl labored to keep the SSCDC’s mission alive, and later left her position in order to fully devote her time toward it as a volunteer. Her work hiring and supervising staff, writing and reporting grants and recruiting and maintaining grants with many volunteers has helped the organization to improve the education and well-being of countless students.

Now serving as the SSCDC’s Executive Director, Cheryl’s hard work, leadership and devotion to its cause has greatly helped improve the lives of people in her community and inspire those whom she has aided. Her efforts overseeing the organization’s growth and continuing its mission by providing children a safe, nurturing environment have left an indelible mark on her community and its residents.