Highlighting Locally Owned LGBTQ+ and Ally Businesses

Western New York – Niagara Pride, Inc. is thrilled to announce that WNY Shopping With Pride 2022 is back this year. This month-long event is designed to highlight locally owned LGBTQ+ and ally businesses and merchants as well as serve as Niagara Pride’s signature and primary annual fundraiser event.

This year, the Buffalo Sabres, M&T Bank, and Fidelis Cares are all official proud sponsors or WNY Shopping With Pride!

To find out which businesses are part of WNY Shopping With Pride or if your business would like to register as a participant (there’s still time!), go to www.wnyshoppingwithpride.org. Additionally, Niagara Pride will be handing out 1,000 tote bags filled with pride goodies and a brochure with WNY Shopping With Pride participating businesses during a number of events in June including all four Niagara County Pride Flag Raising Ceremonies, the Buffalo Pride Parade, the Newfane Family Pride Day, the Oliver Street Pride Fest, and the Niagara Falls Pride Celebration. For more information, go to www.niagarapride.org.

Ronald Piaseczny, JD, LMHC and President of Niagara Pride commented, “I truly believe that the secret to our success as an agency has been the strong connections and partnerships we have fostered with other local organizations, businesses, and community members in order to meet the needs of LGBTQ+ individuals and families in Niagara County and WNY. WNY Shopping With Pride is an extension of Niagara Pride’s commitment to support LGBTQ+ and/or ally merchants and businesses.”

“We encourage everyone in the WNY area to shop and support the participating businesses. When minority owned businesses and strong ally owned businesses succeed, it strengthens and enriches our communities by allowing diversity, equity, and inclusion to thrive,” added Piaseczny.

This year’s list of participating merchants includes:

  • Buffalo Metropolitan Acupuncture
  • Calhoon’s Pub and Kitchen
  • Destination Niagara USA
  • Explore Buffalo
  • Gather & Game
  • Gutter Pop Comics
  • J&C Things LLC
  • Law Office of Roberta J. O’Toole
  • Lock City Books
  • Martinsville Soapworks
  • Mojo Market
  • Moondoggie Spa
  • Nickel City Board Company LLC
  • Nickel City Designs
  • Power City Eatery
  • Pulp 716 Coffee and Comics
  • Schulze Vineyards & Winery
  • Smoker’s Outlet and Grow
  • Sugar T’s Smell Goods
  • The Delightful Octopus
  • The John Fiore Foundation
  • The Vegan Grocery Store
  • Trend Up
  • Twin City Massage
  • Uncle G’s Ice Cream
  • Wicked Memories

Niagara Pride is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving LGBTQ+ individuals and families in Niagara County and WNY. They offer educational programming, engage in charitable works, and offer social programming to create safe and welcoming environment for all those who identify as LGBTQQI+ living throughout WNY. They rely primarily on donations to provide these services and we have no paid staff…only volunteers.

With the success of last year’s WNY Shopping With Pride, Niagara Pride was able to use funds to create several new programs, including:

  • Know Your Status campaign to help provide sexual health and wellness materials for free to individuals as well as share information about HIV and STI testing in all 8 counties of WNY
  • Niagara County LGBTQ+ Community Needs Survey – a yearly comprehensive survey which looks at challenges and barriers faced by the LGBTQ+ community when accessing health care, housing services, legal services, and other community providers
  • WNY LGBTQ+ Youth Vocational Conference – to teach youth life-long job seeking skills
  • The Jean Hopkins Memorial Scholarship for LGBTQ+ high school seniors pursuing higher education
  • Diversity and Inclusion Trainings – Niagara Pride offers trainings to local businesses, agencies, and organizations for a nominal fee
  • And in partnership with other agencies, Niagara Pride has been able to offer groups/services for addictions, breast and prostate cancer screenings, housing discrimination assistance, and support for LGBTQ+ Veterans