Clothes to Homes
The Utica Center for Development (UCD) is asking that you consider donating all of your unwanted textile items to us. All donations stay local, and nothing goes to waste. All donations are separated and sorted through by our staff and volunteers. Useable items are distributed throughout our area to assist those in need and unusable items are recycled. All the proceeds stay local to help build more affordable housing for our nation's veterans. To distinguish us from the non-local agencies our bins are blue. We will accept all useable and non-useable materials...
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James V. Luvera Memorial Chapel
On site at the Utica office is an interfaith chapel available for public use. This chapel is located on the original site of the former Utica YMCA chapel and was refurbished thanks to help from the community and a grant from the Good News Center. The Chapel is named after an Army Veteran who passed away from ALS and is dedicated to all Veterans that suffer from ailments as result of their service to their country.
The Utica Food Pantry
This program offers food to those in need throughout Central New York. Three years ago Chief Russel Brooks asked the UCD if space was avaliable to house The Food Bank. After working together to convert space at the UCD they now have a permanent home within the walls of the Utica location.
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The Bunker Café
If you enter the front doors of the Utica office, you will find yourself in a beautiful art filled room known as the Bunker Café. The café is open and welcomes the public. At this time the café offers coffee and light fare. There are computers for public use and well as free Wi-Fi. The future holds an expanded menu for the café.
The Parkway Center Thrift Store
When the Parkway Center approached me with an idea of opening a thrift store to both give their clients a place for occupational therapy as well as a profit sharing program with the UCD I was all for it. Now in the storefront of the Utica location there is a second hand store that provides a place for occupational therapy as well as another source of non-government income.
Public Use GYM
As being a former YMCA, it has a large gymnasium as well as two racquetball courts. With the building being vacant for so long the facility had fell into disrepair. So we have been working to make them useable again. At this time they are available for rentals and are used for youth programs.
