She didn’t live long enough to see it realized, but her name now graces a new 24,000-square-foot facility opened in Buffalo to serve homeless men and people in its immediate neighborhood.
Amy’s Place of Hope, located at 1297 Sycamore Street, is named in memory of the late Amy Betros, who co-founded St. Luke’s Mission of Mercy with the late Norm Paolini. Betros died in May, months after witnessing the beginning of construction of this facility, which provides 96 semi-private beds, 80 additional beds for Code Blue weather emergencies, medical and mental health care, plus programs including literacy, legal assistance and housing placement.
“Our mission is simple yet profound, to meet the urgent needs of homeless men in our community, while offering vital health services to restore in both body and spirit through our community clinic,” said Stuart Harper, president of Build Hope, the initiative which led this project. “We'll also serve our neighbors providing medical, dental, mental health and addiction services and addiction recovery care.”
Betros established Build Hope in 2019 to begin the quest to construct this new center. Ground was broken in May 2024.
“Their dream was always about more than food and shelter. It was about showing every person that they are seen, known and loved by God,” said Howard Rich, Build Promise chair. “This project is a community access center and a safe shelter for homeless men is a continuation of that dream.”
Betros and Paolini, both devout Catholics in their lifetime, ran St. Luke’s Mission of Mercy as a faith-based institution. In that spirit, the ribbon-cutting ceremony opened with a prayer by a local priest, Rev. Bill Quinlivan. Amy’s Place of Hope, in addition to its beds, showers, offices and services, includes a small chapel.
Numerous Amy’s Place of Hope will collaborate with numerous local agencies that also provide human service needs. They include Jericho Road, BestSelf Behavioral Services, OLV Human Services, Evergreen Health, Feedmore WNY, US Department of Veterans Affairs, Mental Health Advocates of WNY, The Restoration Society, Neighborhood Legal Services, and others.