About Us
Over Two Decades of Improving People’s Lives
The History of Back to Basics
When something is of God, nothing can stop it! That’s the story of Back to Basics.
The ministry beginning goes back to 1994 when two men met in prison at Cape Vincent NY Correctional Facility. While in prison, they both had vowed to serve God and not their own foolish whims and notions.
With the release from prison of Anthony Brown, in October of 1994 and James Giles in March of 1995, these men immediately felt the call of God on their lives and initiated Back To Basics Outreach Ministries in the basement of Mt. Ararat Temple of Prayer Church, located at 971 Jefferson Ave. on Buffalo’s East Side. This new ministry was responding to the needs of the community.
From its humble beginnings by offering counseling services and a food pantry, the organization quickly outgrew that facility due to the tremendous needs of so many people. That great need prompted their move in early 1996 to their new home at 520 Broadway. It was nothing but one large room with a small kitchen area.
Services were also expanded to transitional housing for those who, like Giles and Brown were being released from prison, as well as prisoner rehab, court advocacy, youth strengthening programs and violence interruption. The ministry was now servicing 70 to 100 people a week while collaborations were being fostered with groups like Mad Dads and F.A.T.H.E.R.S.
“Keep the Peace”, a community wide march, took place in 2004 and led to the birth of the Stop The Violence Coalition. Pastor Giles believed it was imperative that the march was not just a one-time event without any follow up or coordinated plan afterwards. Soon after in March 2005, Pastor Anthony Brown felt that God was leading him to launch Back to Basics II in Florida. Pastor Giles later relocated the Buffalo-based ministry to 1906 Broadway, a two story building which now serviced over 100 people a week.
Finally in 2008, the ministry was blessed because of the generosity of Buffalo businessman Tony Trusso, and Back to Basics moved into its current headquarters at 1370 William St. The City of Buffalo provided funds to Back To Basics to administer an Anti-Violence Initiative in 2012 called Buffalo Peacemakers. The Buffalo Peacemakers program actually started in 2008 as a result of a shooting at the Juneteenth celebration the previous year. In 2010, the ministry expanded the ex- offender program to re-entry. This program called for an additional two staffpersons, which was funded by the County of Erie in 2013.
In 2014, Back To Basics received a $360,000 NY State grant for SNUG. This Anti Violence Initiative was increased to $667,800 in 2017 which brought our Back To Basics staff to 28. By 2020, Back To Basics was serving close to 200 people a week with its various programs. During the pandemic of 2020, Back To Basics and the Buffalo Peacemakers helped to distribute over 3,000 lunches a day for the Buffalo Public Schools while kids were home working remotely.
As Pastor Giles so aptly puts it, “We take broken lives, give them hope and God makes it happen!”
Pastor James Giles, Founder
Back To Basics Outreach Ministries, Inc.
Our Mission
The mission of Back to Basics Outreach Ministries is to establish peace in our communities by responding to people who are vulnerable – creating hope and empowering change.
Back to Basics has served the Buffalo community for over 25 years. It was incorporated as a non-profit organization in 1996. Each year Back to Basics provides direct services to hundreds of at-risk youth and adults, as well as their family members. The program participant population is roughly 75% male, 95% Black and mainly resides on Buffalo’s East Side although staff frequently work in all Buffalo neighborhoods and first ring suburbs.
Through its well-trained and dedicated mentors, Back to Basics provides a broad range of services including: preventing gang violence; mentoring at-risk youth; comforting victims of violence and helping them recover; community crisis response; guiding citizens returning from incarceration to re-enter the community successfully; job preparation; restorative justice implementation; supportive housing; court advocacy; food pantry/clothing assistance and referrals; family counseling; substance abuse treatment referrals; drug abuse prevention education and counseling; anger management; peer counseling; domestic violence response services; and individual counseling.
Pastor James Giles, President and CEO, and other Back to Basics’ leaders, frequently provide their insight to WNY political leaders and the news media.
Board of Directors
OFFICERS
Chair of Board – Dennis C. Walczyk
President and CEO (retired) Catholic Charities of Buffalo
Vice Chair – Judge James A.W. McLeod (retired)
Treasurer – Peter Goergen
Risk Manager, M&T Bank
Secretary – Ada Deans
Educator, (retired), Buffalo Public Schools
DIRECTORS
Pamela Deans
Businesswoman and Entrepeneur
Chris Del Prince
Owner, DelPrince Management Consulting
Founder, Lifestyle Street Gear
Reverend Daniel Schifeling
Retired Pastor, United Church of Christ
Lamont Singletary
Owner, ABC Janitorial Services
ADVISORY COUNCIL
Anne F. Downey
Attorney at Harter, Secrest, & Emery, LLP
Nick Williams
OSC Manufacturing and Equipment Services