BUFFALO, N.Y. — ​The Broadway-Fillmore neighborhood in Buffalo has historically thrived off the contributions and diversity of its population. But thanks to a surge in illegal activity, the area has become a forgotten part of the city.

Now some neighbors are looking to change that.

Riddled with drugs, weapons, and prostitution, people come from near and far to feed their vices in the Broadway region. A once-prosperous community fueled by the diversity of its inhabitants is now troubled largely due to the evolution of addiction in the area, which went from bad to worse.

“Broadway has definitely been hit the hardest, I’ll say, in the last years because of the opioid epidemic, because of the drugs, the heroin use,” said Pastor Tim Newkirk with GYC Ministries. “The transfer from crack cocaine and heroin to fentanyl. It devastated this whole city, but I think Broadway was hit the hardest.”

Pastor Newkirk is one of several community leaders devoted to getting the area cleaned up. GYC hosts initiatives like “Search and Rescue” events that provide outreach and support to community members. Unfortunately, many of the resources needed are not in the vicinity of those who are in dire need of them.

“When you take a drug and you become addicted to a drug, you are entitled to everything that gets you off of that drug, because everything that gets you off of that drug puts you back into society and allows you to become a productive citizen or a better person,” he said.

Despite the high rates of opioid and heroin abuse, Newkirk says resources like Narcan and needle exchange programs are not in the immediate area.

The lack of help can perhaps be attributed to those who don’t see the potential of the people due to what the environment has become, a revelation of how perception fuels the minds of potential change makers.

“If you’re not going to be someone that benefits the city, or benefit the outskirts of Buffalo, and you’re not going to go on to pursue a college degree and become some professor or some scientist, or even a corporate vice president, then why invest in you when you’re basically going to be someone that’s on and off drugs, or you’re going to go from one drug to another drug?” Newkirk said.

For the regeneration of Broadway, a relationship has to be established between those who want to help and those who need help. This may be a difficult feat, but it's not believed to be impossible.

“We have to go out here with other organizations, with other people and let them know that with the help of the community, with the help and the support of the church, with the help of the City of Buffalo, with the help of our elected officials, that we can go and work together and we can save those that are lost and that are in need of rescue,” Newkirk said.

Legislators and activists have plans to further develop the area, using the heavy traffic to bring in more businesses and establishments that will help people in the neighborhood.