Start with service. End in Community.
5/14 DAY OF SERVICE
& REMEMBRANCE
A city-wide day of service, action, and connection, honoring the lives lost in the May 14, 2022 tragedy in Buffalo, NY.
On May 14, 2022, ten lives were stolen in an act of white supremacist violence at the Tops supermarket on Jefferson Avenue. They were mothers and fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers, protectors, caretakers, advocates—people who held families and communities together.
WE REMEMBER
Celestine Chaney
Roberta Drury
Andre Mackniel
Katherine Massey
Margus Morrison
Heyward Patterson
Aaron Salter Jr.
Geraldine Talley
Ruth Whitfield
Pearl Young
The 5/14 Day of Service & Remembrance does not seek to sum up their lives or the depth of what was taken. It is one of many ways we hold space for grief, honor the people we lost, and affirm the right of Black communities to safety, dignity, and care.
We also recognize the survivors—those who were in the store that day, the witnesses, the families who carry this loss, and the neighbors who have been retraumatized each time they return to that place.
The 5/14 Day of Service & Remembrance is not a solution, and it is not closure. It is an invitation to begin or continue wherever we are—through acts of service, moments of connection, or simply by showing up for one another. It is a way to say: we have not forgotten. We will not look away.
In their memory, and in community, we continue forward—with care, with purpose, and with each other.
GET INVOLVED
There are many ways that you can get involved — you can sign up to volunteer at the 2026 Day of Service and Remembrance through May 12, 2026.
or explore service projects below
JOIN US
The 5/14 Day of Service & Remembrance is divided into two parts, inviting our community to engage in both meaningful action and communal connection.
Participate in one part, or both. The day is yours, and all are welcome.
9AM - 2PM: Acts of Service
Join your neighbors, coworkers, or friends for small, low-barrier acts of service across Buffalo. Whether you're cleaning a park or buying from Black-owned businesses, you can serve from anywhere, and how you serve is up to you.
Write & mail notes of encouragement to elders or students
Deliver care kits to East Side neighbors (snacks, socks, affirmations)
Refill a community fridge with fresh food + water
Support Black-owned East Side businesses
Scroll up to explore volunteer opportunities, or sign up here!
Tops Market will host a memorial ceremony at 2pm. A break has been built into the day to honor this time. Our community gathering will be just after, only a block away.
3PM - 7PM: Community Gathering
E Utica St, between Jefferson & Dupont
Join free, family-friendly space to reflect, restore, and reconnect with your community.
Music · Wellness · Art · Healing · Food · Joy
What to Expect:
Line dancing w/ JoAnna Rozier
Live Music from Tru Journey
Reflection station: post-its, poetry, art, intention-setting
Local food vendors (free)
Kids zone: bubbles, chalk, books, art table
And More
Rooted in the spirit of Sankofa — looking back to honor the past while moving forward in healing — we invite our community to join us each year in honoring the lives lost on May 14, 2022 through community service, wellness, and joyful connection.
Beginning in 2025, we have established 5/14 as Buffalo’s official Day of Service & Remembrance, with annual observance, city-wide participation, and support from schools, employers, and local leaders.
LOOKING BACK:
2025 DAY OF SERVICE
& REMEMBRANCE
On Wednesday May 14, 2025, more than 75 volunteers came together to give back. Throughout the day, we gave out more than 500 free meals, filled community fridges, cleaned up the neighborhood, and honored the lives of those lost through specific volunteer events in their honor, with the input of their families. We closed the day with a community gathering designed for joy and connection.
2025 Photo Gallery
We are building a collective movement of remembrance, healing, and action — and we invite organizations, businesses, schools, faith communities, civic leaders, and more to partner with us in bringing this vision to life. Want to become a partner for the next 5/14 Day of Service & Remembrance? We want to hear from you.
By becoming a partner you can:
Organize your own act of service with staff, students, or members
Sponsor our gathering or a program with financial or in-kind contributions
Provide volunteer time, space, or resources
Amplify the message on your platforms and in your networks
Pledge to participate annually and encourage others to do the same
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The day will end with a community gathering, offering a space to reflect, restore, and reconnect with music, wellness activities, art, healing, food, joy, and community resources.
If your organization is interested in having a presence at the gathering, please review the Community-Centered Framework for Action, Care, and Collective Memory to ensure your organization fits within this framework.
Complete this application to share how you would like to contribute and we will be in touch. -
Please email us at info@clementinegoldgroup.com with more information about you, your organization, and how you would like to partner.