That Brown Bag

Brown Bag Business Spotlight: WNY Aging in Place Council

Most of us plan for retirement. Few of us plan for the staircase.

The WNY Aging in Place Council does. Founded in 2024, it exists to get Western New York's senior organizations collaborating, so programs and funding reach the safe, secure homes seniors want to stay in. The motto says it plainly: Making your house your home.

Willie A Price Speaks leads the charge as a Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS), Universal Design Essentials Specialist, and Rehabilitation Specialist. His message is that preparing to age in place can't wait for a fall or a health scare. Homes, finances, transportation, and support systems all need to be ready before the crisis shows up.

He takes that message on the road. This summer, he brought a free workshop, "Aging Safely in Place in Your Apartment," to residents at Wrobel Towers in Niagara Falls on August 8, alongside Josh Randall of Cornell Cooperative Extension, who covered staying safe in extreme heat. The series is built on eight keys: home safety, transportation, nutrition and meal services, financial preparedness, fitness and health, estate planning, community resources, and Universal Design technology.

The workshops led to the Council's first Aging in Place Awareness Forum on September 26 at the Delavan Grider Community Center on Buffalo's East Side. Older adults, families, and caregivers met Cornell Cooperative Extension, UBMD Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Belmont Housing Resources for WNY, Touching Hearts at Home Buffalo, the Handz Foundation, Yireh Elder Care Services, and Jess Taylor: Yoga & Fitness. A Better YOU Lifestyle and the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Caregivers grant sponsor the series and forum.

Price keeps the goal simple. "Your home should support you as you age."

For so many of our elders, home is the thing they built and paid for. Keeping them there safely is about dignity as much as design.

Reach the Council at 716 246 1477 or [email protected], or find WNY Aging in Place Council events and info on Facebook.

CurrencyFortheCulture |Reposted from Intersect Buffalo 🚀 THE COUNTDOWN IS ON!

There's something about bringing a new group of entrepreneurs into a room and knowing you're about to witness the beginning of something BIG.

The next IC Success Launchpad cohort kicks off October 8, and we're getting ready to welcome a new class of visionaries, innovators, and entrepreneurs who are ready to put in the work.

Over the coming weeks, we'll introduce you to the people behind the businesses, share their stories, and give you a front row seat as they turn ambition into action.

Buffalo, get ready to meet our next generation of entrepreneurs!

👀 Stay tuned. The Launchpad is getting ready for takeoff.

Reposted from thewoods_wine 🔥🍯 BUFFALO… WHO’S SKIPPING THE KITCHEN THIS WEDNESDAY?! 👀

We’re serving up sweet heat & a FULL plate for just $25 at The Woods & W**e! 🤤

🍗 Honey Cajun Half Chicken
🧀 Mac & Cheese
🍠 Yams
🥬 Greens
🌽 Cornbread

📅 Wednesday, September 30
⏰ 4 PM–11 PM
📍 25 N Johnson Park, Buffalo, NY

Tag your dinner date and let us handle the cooking! 🍽️✨

**e

CurrencyFortheCulture |Reposted from Ujima Company, Inc. 📣 FREE Youth Programming @ Ujima 📣

We are so excited to be bringing back The Hanesworth Project and the Dunbar Project starting October 2026!

Who are these programs perfect for?
✨ youth who love music, dance, and all things theater
✨ youth who are interested in theater but haven’t had the opportunity to experience it first hand just yet
✨youth who are looking to make new friends outside of their school friends
✨ youth who are looking for a creative outlet
✨ youth who are excited to learn new things, be challenged, and grow artistically

If any of these points resonate with you or makes you think of someone—click the link in our bio to register!

REGISTRATION CLOSES SOON

Community happens when people have access to the resources they need to live well. 💚

Join the WNY Aging in Place Council for a Community Forum connecting older adults, families, caregivers, and neighbors with valuable resources right here in Buffalo.

📅 Saturday, September 26
⏰ 10 AM to 2 PM
📍 Delavan Grider Community Center, 877 E. Delavan Ave.

Come get informed, get connected, and learn what’s available in our community. 🏡💚

🎉 Some recognition hits differently when it reflects years of showing up, building, advocating, and staying committed to the work.

We’re proud to celebrate The Brown Bag Exchange Founder & CEO, Shantelle Lynette, on being named to Buffalo Business First’s Power 100 Business Leaders of Color for the fifth consecutive year. 🖤

Shantelle has been recognized every year since the Power 100 was created, while continuing to build The Brown Bag Exchange into an ecosystem connecting Black owned businesses to community, culture, capital, and curated opportunities.

Five years. A growing platform. A mission that hasn’t moved.

Congratulations to our CEO on another well deserved recognition. 🥂

2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026