Update on the Victory Sports Ball-Bin locations across Erie & Niagara
Buffalo, NY – August 13th 2020
Back in June we installed and filled our first new Ball-Bin of 2020. Since then, we have added a further 13 equipment distribution bins across Erie & Niagara counties, providing kids from across the region with access to soccer balls, basketballs, footballs, jump ropes, frisbees and more!
After the second phase of installations in Tonawanda & Sloan, we have now added 2 in each of Cheektowaga and Lockport, one on Buffalo’s West Side, one at the Arlene Mychajliw Community Center in Babcock, and four in the city of Niagara Falls.
Our mission is to provide under-resourced schools, leagues, teams, athletes and families with the equipment needed to play and compete. That will not change. But the reality of this year is that we had to adapt if we wanted to continue impacting kids in the absence of most organized youth sport, particularly programs and clubs serving inner city and low-income kids.
The ball-bins provide a mechanism for us to get sports and play equipment into kids’ hands in the areas that need it most. By the end of October, we will have impacted well over 2500 children with our ball-bin campaign. No other organization is reaching as many kids through sport and play as Victory Sports.
Check out the list of Ball-Bins in place and view on Google Maps via each link:
- West Seneca – Centennial Park – Generously supported by West Seneca Teacher’s Association
- Town of Tonawanda – Mang Park Cultural Building
- Town of Tonawanda – Lincoln Park
- Sloan – 50 Griffith Street, 14212
- West Side, Buffalo – West Side Community Services – Generously supported by the Stahlka Agency
- Babcock – Arlene Mychajliw Community Center
- Lockport – Dolan Park
- Lockport – Willow Park
- Cheektowaga – Stiglmeier Park
- Cheektowaga – Town Park
- Niagara Falls – Harry Jordan Gardens
- Niagara Falls – Beloved Community
- Niagara Falls – Packard Court
- Niagara Falls – Niagara Falls Boys’ & Girls’ Club
This is not the first year Victory Sports has operated these bins. Last year there were several across Buffalo and surrounding towns but the key difference this year is that kids are free to keep an item after they use it. This Covid-19 adaptation was unavoidable if we wanted to safely operate the ball-bins again this year. That did increase significantly the cost of the campaign, as we committed to restocking each bin every week of the summer.
Installing and restocking these Ball-Bins is made possible by the generous support from Ralph C. Wilson Jr Foundation and individual donors to Victory Sports. The Ball-Bins are centrally located within each community and are regularly visited by users and by Victory Sports in our big blue van, attracting lots of attention!
We’re now inviting local businesses and community figures to consider adopting one of our Ball-Bins. In doing so, you help us restock your Ball-Bin every week so that kids aren’t disappointed to find an empty bin! We can provide great social media coverage at the launch and every week when we restock, plus you’ll have your logo and company name on the signage and, most importantly, you’ll be helping the kids in your community! Check out the flyer below.
We’d like to thank West Seneca Teacher’s Association and Stahlka Agency for adopting our West Seneca and West Side (Buffalo) bins respectively.
If you or your organization is interested in demonstrating your commitment to your local community by adopting one of our Ball-Bins, please do get in touch with edmond@victorysports.org
You can also help us install and restock more Ball-Bins across WNY by donating here or via the link below. We truly appreciate your help!