Meaning of Sacrifice

True Meaning of Sacrifice, Service, and Community
LatinaHerstory

by Talia Rodriguez

When the sun rises over Seneca Street, it shines a light on a little yellow brick church with emerald green windows. That church houses the hope of many — and the Seneca Street Community Development Corporation (SSCDC) — a beacon of love in a proud, working-class neighborhood with a deep legacy of resilience.

Standing at the door is Mary Partlow, a neighbor and volunteer. In the Seneca Babcock neighborhood, those two words often mean the same thing. Mary, a proud Latina whose maiden name is Santiago, grew up in a working-class family herself. Today, she is also the wife of an Army veteran — an Army wife who knows the true meaning of sacrifice, service, and community.

SSCDC, founded in 2009 by a local pastor’s wife and a small group of volunteers, was born out of the same spirit Mary carries. When the church building faced closure after nearly 100 years of service, the Pastor and his wife stepped in to save it, preserving it as both a place of worship and a vibrant neighborhood resource.

Seneca Street is a real street — and if you know, you know. It has a spirit all its own, shaped by the lives and hard work of its people. Neighbors like Mary power the legacy of Seneca Street and of SSCDC, which stands firmly to serve them.

Every afternoon, Mary plays a crucial role. She coordinates the arrival of children from over ten schools who pour off the buses at the corner of Seneca and Imson Streets. She knows every bus route, every driver, every child’s face — and even on the grayest Buffalo days, she greets each child with a smile and a warm, “How was your day?”

Many of these kids head into the free afterschool program offered by SSCDC — a program rich with tutors, enrichment activities, computer labs, and hot dinners. Mary’s own sons started attending at just five years old. Today, because of Mary and the SSCDC team, around 50 children each day experience a place where they are fed, supported, and loved — often with a side of mashed potatoes and fresh fruit.

From September 2022 to September 2023, 28.3% of adults 16 and older formally volunteered with organizations — a five-point increase. Mary is part of that movement. But her impact is deeper than any statistic.

In 2023, 48% of Buffalo Public Schools middle school students reported experiencing poor mental health, and one-third worried about running out of food before their family had money to buy more. Amid these challenges, Mary’s consistent, caring presence provides an anchor. The SSCDC’s new Health Equity Initiative is poised to do even more to strengthen the neighborhood’s vitality, building on the foundation Mary helps uphold each day.

In a community where 39.3% of students report experiencing parental separation or loss, Mary’s unwavering presence at the bus stop is more than a convenience — it’s a lifeline.

She is the steady shepherd, the safe space, the warm welcome at the heart of a little yellow brick church with green windows — a place where the laughter of children still echoes off hardwood stairs, where hope is guarded by hands like Mary’s.

If you would like to support Mary and the broader Seneca Babcock neighborhood, visit senecastreetcdc.org.

The images in this article were provided by the author.

Talia Rodriguez is a bi-racial, bi-cultural, and bi-lingual Latina from Buffalo. Ms. Rodriguez’s mission is to write about Latina’s, who have shaped the face of our city and our region. It is Ms. Rodriguez’s believes that our own people should inspire us and in telling our collective stories, we push our community forward. Ms. Rodriguez is a community advocate and organizer. She is a 5th generation West Sider, a graduate of SUNY Buffalo Law School, and an avid baseball fan. She lives on the West Side with her young son A.J… Ms. Rodriguez sits on the board of several organizations including the Belle Center, where she attended daycare. Ms. Rodriguez loves art, music, food, and her neighbors. You can send your comments or questions to talia.rodriguez.716@gmail.com.