About Elevate WNY
The Elevate WNY Community Accelerator is the re-emergence of the former
Wellness Institute of Greater Buffalo.
In following the mission of the late Phil Haberstro, we not only have impossible shoes to fill, but we'll also need giant strides to keep up. Fortunately, because Phil’s vision of a healthy community had cast such a bright light, our path forward is clear as long as we tirelessly hold to the core mission.
“Improving community health takes partnerships, time, and commitment. It takes sustainable changes to policies and systems. It takes problem-solving and innovation. It takes all of us working together toward a shared goal. To address the breadth of health factors in the County Health Rankings model, we not only need people from public health and health care, but expertise from business, education, government, community members, and many more.”
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Robert Woods Johnson Foundation
Our Mission
“Elevate WNY facilitates our community advocacy, accountability, investment, and social capital-building actions in working together with our public, private, non-profit, and civic partners in Erie and Niagara Counties! Our goal is to measurably and sustainably improve our residents’ environmental, economic, social, and personal health to enhance our shared community quality of life!”
Our Vision
Citizens of the Erie-Niagara community share in shaping the future of our thriving bi-national region. Safe and stable neighborhoods, respect for diversity, accessible cultural/recreation opportunities, a healthy population and lifelong learning provide an exceptional quality of life. Our dynamic economic climate evolves from a competitive workforce, responsive governance and a comprehensive mobility system. A balanced, sustainable environment ensures the prosperity and natural resources of our region.