The Water Buffalo Club is kicking off a new holiday-season effort to help local Buffalo Bills fans in need and they’re asking the community to dig into their closets for a good cause.
The initiative, called “Gear for Good,” encourages fans to donate gently used or new Bills merchandise that will be cleaned and distributed to individuals and families who may not have the means to purchase official team gear.
WATCH: Water Buffalo Club Launches “Gear for Good” to Help Bills Fans in Need
This year’s campaign is being organized by Therese Forton-Barnes, also known as “FOTY,” the 2025 Buffalo Bills Fan of the Year. For her, the effort goes beyond game days or tailgates; it’s about giving back.
“Part of being Fan of the Year is not just what you do during the tailgate and what you create for fans,” Forton-Barnes said. “It is also what you do as a community leader and giving back.”
Inside the drop-off locations, supporters are already showing up with bags and boxes of jerseys, hoodies, hats, and T-shirts.
Forton-Barnes said the need is clear. “I see people who don’t have the means to buy Bills gear but probably would love a T-shirt or a hoodie or a jersey or whatever.”
Donor Gracie Michalski , who stopped by with items of her own said, “I know the Bills store everything can be pretty expensive,” she said. “For those that can’t afford it, it’s great to be a part of it.”
Forton-Barnes said she knows how gear can be expensive, and there is a lot of it out there, but not everybody can afford it, ''and Christmas is around the corner. It’s just something to give back to the community. It is a win-win for everybody.”
The drive accepts gently used gear that still looks new, as well as items with tags still on them. “There are so many people in need,” Forton-Barnes added. “This is such a small little thing that… it is just a simple thing for people to do.”
The Gear for Good campaign runs now through December 14, with drop-off locations at the Big Tree Inn in Orchard Park and Colvin Cleaners on Elmwood Avenue in Kenmore.
