HELP GRANDMA PEACH AFTER TRAGIC EXPLOSION

On Good Friday, a natural gas leak exploded at 167 Orange St., destroying the residence of 78-year-old, long-time Fruit Belt resident Quintella Backey. (Read Grandma Peach's Buffalo News profile here).

Backey, affectionately known as Peaches / Grandma Peach by those who know her and are loved by her, is miraculously unharmed, but has lost her home of more than 50 years, and must now confront this tragic loss with a limited pensioner's income. We're raising funds on her behalf to support her as she navigates the uncertain days ahead.

With a nickname that mirrors her deep ties to the community, Peaches is a beloved neighbor, friend, elder, aunt, and staple of the Fruit Belt. She is a member of the Grandma Patrol, featured in this 2022 Spectrum News story, and since retiring as an RN, she has tirelessly served her community through the Soup and Scripture program at First Centennial Missionary Baptist Church. She has opened the doors of 167 Orange to many friends, families, and neighbors over the years, providing shelter to those in need. She has also been involved in advocating for the rights of Fruit Belt residents and the preservation of the rich history of Buffalo's East Side.

She has spent her life serving others, and, in this time of crisis, we're asking the community to show up and support Grandma Peach like we know our City of Good Neighbors can.

I am an adopted niece of Grandma Peach, who sewed my baptism gown, taught me how to fish, fed me raspberries out of her garden, always brought the Christmas tree and been a constant figure in my and my siblings' lives since we were born. This fund serves as a critical resource for helping Peach navigate the immediate aftermath, and will cover things such as:

I will transfer funds directly to her so she can cover these new and unexpected needs as they come along.

We're so glad our Peach is okay, but she has lost a lifetime of memories, clothes, and artwork, plus her cherished garden, and faces the threat of being displaced from the neighborhood she's spent her life in.

Please share, boost, and donate this fund if you can. We're hoping to exceed our goal and any and all support helps.

Thank You,

Friends & Family of Quintella "Aunt/Grandma Peaches" Backey