BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Belle Center serves Buffalo as a community center, but for the woman who runs it, it’s much more.

“We're here to serve, and that's what we do,” said Lucy Candelario, the executive director of the Belle Center.

The Belle Center has done just that since 1976.

“The kids and the seniors, you know, people that are most vulnerable," said Candelario.

Candelario has run the center for almost the last 10 years.

“I fell in love with it and here I am,” she said.

The building is an intersection of cultures.

“We have at least 24 to 26 different dialects spoken here at any given time,” said Candelario.

For her, it’s a great way to learn.

“When my mom came from Puerto Rico, it was very hard," recalled Candelario. "It was very hard to learn the language, it was very hard to find employment. [...] The lack of help that she received kind of clicked something inside of me that I need to be able to help.”

And that’s why she pours herself into this place, serving around 300 people every day.

“It's definitely not a 9-to-5,” she said. “Eight o'clock in the morning most of the days ... six o'clock at night, I'm still here a lot of days.”

The center offers programs, classes and other resources the community might not have otherwise, ranging from a game room to an indoor pool and a computer lab.

“We have 56,000 square feet, which I call square feet of fun,” said Candelario. “They come from different worlds. Very poor, very proud, but you know [...] it is a safe haven. The parents don't have to worry about whether they're on the street learning things they shouldn't.”

That’s not to say she doesn’t deal with struggles.

“It gets difficult when you don't have the funding,” she said.

While she’s the one in charge, Candelario relies on her own community of staff, volunteers and generous outside groups to lend a helping hand.

“Everybody is willing to help if you're just asking," explained Candelario. "Sometimes you don't even have to ask.”

It’s a lot of work, but it’s worth it.

“All the little kids that come in here, I'd say to myself 'that was me when I was a little girl,' " said Candelario. "I wish I had this when I was little.”

What started as just a stepping stone is now a part of her identity.

“I hope to retire from the Belle Center," she said. "I'm not going anywhere.”

Her goal is to help the center become more self-sufficient and keep the impact going for years to come.

“We've come a long way. West side has come a long way," she said. "We have a lot going on. A lot still to go, but a lot going on. I love it.”

Candelario's work doesn't end at the Belle Center. She also volunteers with other organizations and served on the board of the Buffalo and Erie County public libraries.