About Us

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Call 716-829-7240

Mission

Grace Guest House supports patients and their families by providing a haven and place of respite when receiving care at regional healthcare facilities.

Vision

At Grace we envision families having the ability to receive healthcare or participate in their loved one’s care without boundaries.

Values

Faith
Love
Service
Family

Seeded: November 2013
Incorporated: February 2014
501(c)(3) Cert.: August 2014
Opened: November 2017

501(c)(3) Confirmation
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Identity

Grace seeks to enable families to focus on their loved ones while we focus on the well-being of those families, out-patients and caregivers referred to us through regional healthcare facilities.

Grace provides overnight stays and day respite in a secure and peaceful guest house that provides a caring and compassionate environment 24/7, is walking distance to Mercy Hospital and a complimentary shuttle drive away from all of Buffalo's healthcare facilities

Grace is the house that hugs!

Certified Healthcare Hospitality House
and Proud Member of
The Healthcare Hospitality Network

Would you like to work at Grace?
Download a job application apply today:

application_for_employment.pdf
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Staff & Leadership Team

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Sandra Miller, Chairperson
Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations, Canisius College

Donna Brown
Patient Experience Administrator,
Erie County Medical Center Corporation

Ann Grizanti
Retired, Hamburg Central School District

Sandra Ladas
General Manager, Hot Dog Heaven Restaurant

Michele Pasnik-Vario
Paralegal, Burden, Hafner & Hansen, LLC

Barbara Salvadore
Office Manager, CATCO Construction

Debra Smith
Retired, Roswell Park

Cynthia Battista, Ex Officio

Elaine Suarez, Recording Secretary to the Board

CORPORATE OFFICERS

Cynthia M. Battista, President

Michele Pasnik-Vario, Vice President

Barbara J. Salvadore, Interim Treasurer

Ann Grizanti, Secretary

Staff

Executive Director
Cynthia M. Battista 716.829.7209

Associate Director
Andrea M. Capodagli 716.829.7207

Operations & Development Coordinator 716.829.7240 ext. 3
Gianna Totaro

Guest Services Associates
716.829.7240 ext. 1
Sarah Knoll
Zoe Zacharek
Maria Shilling

House & Grounds Keepers
Justin Niemira
Jacob Lanning
John Kelley

Overnight Associates
Nicholas Doria
Jimmy Battista
Abhiraj Grewal

House & Grounds: Justin & Volunteer John Kelley assembling snowblower & cab donated by the Garman Family Foundation

Location & Contact

GET directions to grace

Grace House
2315 Seneca Street
Buffalo, NY 14210
(716) 829-7240

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What Inspired Creation of Grace?

Hello. My name is Cindy Battista. I am an average working WNYer, mom of three, wife and daughter who did the average volunteering with a number of organizations over the years. Then recently I took a huge leap of faith into something truly extraordinary.. a ministry focused on hospitality.

A colleague's son suffered a traumatic medical crisis in November 2013. My colleague, Mike and his family traveled hundreds of miles to be close to and support his son. While there, they stayed in a healthcare hospitality house. When he came back to Buffalo, Mike was animated as he explained their experience at the guest house. They were comforted knowing that after a long day at the hospital they could return to a clean and comfortable place to rest and share a meal, restored for whatever the next day might hold. The guest house had made a profound and positive impact on Mike and his family.

What Mike did not know... could not know... was that I had been searching for an answer to a calling that was placed on my heart to help people in my community with lodging. I was touched and moved to action by this local family's experience, which crystallized my calling and purpose. Almost immediately, I began to research whether similar resources were available for families that travel to my neighborhood hospital, Mercy Hospital of Buffalo in South Buffalo. While I discovered and toured wonderful guest houses in and around Buffalo's Medical Corridor, there were none close to Mercy Hospital of Buffalo. So, with the support of my husband and family I pursued a goal of creating a small guest house within walking distance to Mercy Hospital of Buffalo. On February 12, 2014 Grace Guest House, Inc. was formed. The name I chose was based upon the Grace of God, because I knew from the start that it was only through Him that this could happen. We are now a 501(c)(3) organization overseen by passionate, hardworking and dedicated members of our Board of Directors. In January 2015, we purchased vacant property at 484 Abbott Road which is two short blocks to Mercy Hospital of Buffalo. In March 2016, we were blessed with the opportunity to purchase a larger property, more conducive to our mission. Our guest house is located at the former St. John The Evangelist Rectory -- an 8 bedroom home with 6 full bathrooms that enjoys the Olmsted Cazenovia Park right in its backyard. We opened the doors and welcomed our first families in November 2017 and our mission quickly expanded to serve all the regional healthcare facilities.

Isn't it amazing how the simple act of sharing a personal story can profoundly impact others? My colleague, Mike could never have imagined that our conversation would create such a response. Grace Guest House blossomed from the seed of his personal story.

It has been an honor and pleasure to work on this mission with fellow Board Members, as well as to meet and work with some incredible executives and professionals from Mercy Hospital of Buffalo, the Sisters of Mercy, Kevin Guest House, Trocaire College, SCORE, the Junior League of Buffalo, other small businesses and local government officials. And now, as of February 2018, my role changed from Chair of the Board to President & Executive Director.

Follow along as we offer our place of peace to patients and their families when they visit Buffalo for care at one of our region's healthcare facilities. Look around our website, follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook. Share our story and, if you can, share your talents and resources with us or other nonprofit organizations in our community. Together we will create an impact that will ease the heavy lift experienced by families in need.

Peace and love,
Cynthia M. Battista
President & Executive Director

By Grace, Through Faith

Make a LODGING Reservation​Call 716-829-7240