BUFFALO, N.Y. — Major money is headed to the Buffalo City Mission for its work to help the homeless in the region.

The mission received a $3.26 million grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York, sponsored by M&T Bank. It's the largest grant given out since the program began in 1990.

The money will help the mission with plans to double the size of its facility with a $15 million expansion.

Stuart Harper, mission executive director and CEO, says homelessness is on the rise in the area, up 9 percent from a year ago—equating to about 500 more people on the streets.

When the new building opens, the mission expects about 1,000 people each day for meals, twice as many as now. Harper says the project will also allow for more preventative services.

"We're talking about people that've lived in a home most of their lives, know how to manage it, but there was an event that took them out of that home," Harper said. "Our goal is to help them get housed and overcome that event."

The Buffalo City Mission still needs to raise approximately $4 million more to reach its goal, but construction is expected to begin in April or May.