Lu grew up here in Buffalo and left to pursue her undergraduate education at Georgetown University in D.C.  Following that, she spent several years in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps on the Colville Reservation in Omak, Washington before continuing on to earn her M.A. from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California.  Lu returned to Buffalo and spent 12 years as a campus minister at Canisius College before becoming the Executive Director of Family Promise of WNY.  She is motivated each and every day by the children and parents FPWNY serves to make this program better.  She lives with her husband and two children on the West Side of Buffalo.

A graduate of D'Youville College with a B.S. in Business Administration. Denise’s diverse background includes experience in both the municipal and private sectors.  However, she found her niche working in Human Services. Denise worked for Preventive Services within the Department of Social Services, providing assistance to families at risk of losing their children to Foster Care. She also spent six years with the Buffalo Board of Education as a Substitute Teacher for grades P-K through 12. She then went on to work for the Erie County Department of Youth Services as a Youth Detention Worker. Denise currently serves as the Case Manager of FPWNY, helping families experiencing homelessness regain stability. 

Iris Applewhite grew up in Buffalo, New York before moving to Mississippi where she ran into Hurricane Katrina.  Katrina is the only woman in the world that Iris is afraid of.  Iris lived in Nashville for a few years where she outran a tornado.  She decided to move home to Buffalo.  Iris worked in medical insurance billing previous to joining the FPWNY team.  She enjoys making people laugh, loves spending time with our families and helps keep our space organized.  In fact, keeping things in order is kind of a big deal for Iris!

Annalyse is a recent grad from Canisius College where she studied Psychology and Environmental Studies. Throughout her time at school one of her biggest motivations was deepening community. During her study abroad in the Philippines, this value of people and diversity was driven home. Her love for people and inclusion is what brought her to Family Promise. She is looking forward to connecting to her local community and being a small part of an important cause. 

Cordelia Gidney is our amazing van driver and housekeeper!  She started with our team in the fall of 2018 and has become a beloved figure to our guests.