Petition to the Board of Directors of Friends of Night People

Friends of Night People has served Buffalo's most vulnerable residents for decades. Its mission deserves the trust of the community, the dedication of employees and volunteers, and leadership that reflects the compassion it asks others to support.

This petition is not about ending that mission. 

It is about protecting it.

Over the past several years, many current and former employees, volunteers, donors, and community members have lost confidence in the organization's executive leadership. These concerns extend beyond isolated workplace disputes and instead raise broader questions about leadership, accountability, transparency, governance, and organizational priorities.

Over time, numerous current and former employees and volunteers have described high turnover, the loss of experienced staff, and a workplace where many frontline employees have worked without employer-sponsored health insurance while executive compensation and benefits continued to increase. These concerns have led many to question whether the organization's priorities remain aligned with the people carrying out its mission every day.

Additional questions have been raised regarding organizational oversight and the relationship between Friends of Night People and Feed 716, another nonprofit led by the same Executive Director. Concerns regarding the use of Friends of Night People's staff, facilities, equipment, and other organizational resources deserve independent review, as do broader questions surrounding governance and legal compliance.

Many of these concerns point to a larger question of stewardship. At a time when frontline employees have struggled with low wages, limited benefits, and demanding workloads, executive compensation has risen substantially, approaching $150,000 annually. Effective nonprofit leadership requires not only raising funds, but also ensuring that charitable resources are managed responsibly and that the people carrying out the organization's mission are treated with dignity and respect.

Friends of Night People does not belong to any one executive. It belongs to the community that has sustained it for decades through donations, volunteer service, and public trust. When credible concerns arise regarding leadership and governance, addressing them strengthens the organization and protects the mission for everyone who depends on it.

That trust is earned through transparency, accountability, and responsible leadership.

We respectfully ask the Board of Directors to:

- Appoint new executive leadership for Friends of Night People.

- Conduct an independent review of executive leadership, organizational governance, and the relationship between Friends of Night People and Feed 716.

- Publicly communicate the findings of that review and the steps being taken to restore confidence among employees, volunteers, donors, and the community.

The people who prepare the meals, drive the trucks, maintain the buildings, coordinate volunteers, and serve Buffalo every day deserve leadership that values them as much as the public values the mission.

Leadership should never become more important than the mission itself.

When leadership loses the confidence of the people carrying out the mission and the community supporting it, the Board has a responsibility to act.

If you believe Friends of Night People deserves transparent, accountable leadership that puts its mission first, please add your name.

The mission is worth protecting. The people who carry it out are worth protecting, too.