Tim Kennedy was born and raised right here in Western New York.
He and his wife, Katie, are raising their children, Connor, Eireann, and Padraic in the City of Buffalo, not far from where Tim’s parents, Marty and Mary Kennedy raised Tim and his siblings. Tim went to St. Martin’s Elementary School before attending St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute. He then received his bachelor’s and master’s degree in occupational therapy at D’Youville College.
As an occupational therapist, he spent more than a decade helping children with special needs and working with seniors fighting their way back from injuries. As an elected official, he has proudly fought for families in both the Erie County Legislature and the State Senate. Tim has delivered record funding for Western New York, and enacted policy that is changing lives.
Here’s how Tim is making a difference.
Investing in Our Roads and Transportation.
In his role as Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, Tim has led the charge to nearly triple road funding in WNY, and secured a historic $100 million for the NFTA to improve and maintain Buffalo’s Metro Rail. He’s helped to shape a historic $32.8 billion five-year capital plan, infusing money into long-neglected infrastructure projects in every corner of New York, reconnecting neighborhoods and delivering hope. Whether he’s fighting for transit-dependent riders to have a voice on transportation authority boards, helping to restore public transit routes, or reimagining how we can make our roads more sustainable in order to meet our climate goals, Tim is amplifying the voices of New Yorkers on a statewide and national level.
Closing Gaps in Access to Fresh Food.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Tim partnered with FeedMoreWNY to host multiple fresh food giveaways across Western New York for the thousands of people who were out of work or unable to safely shop for groceries. But his dedication to elevating access to fresh food wasn’t just limited to the challenges poised by the pandemic; Tim’s attention to this issue has spanned nearly a decade. He sponsors the FRESH Act in the Senate, which would incentivize grocers to put down roots in food deserts statewide, and has funded the creation of community gardens across his district.
Fighting Racial & Social Inequities.
Tim understands that racial and social inequities still plague communities across New York like the City of Buffalo, which is why he’s worked closely with the Community Foundation for a Greater Buffalo’s Racial Equity Roundtable and The Buffalo Center for Health Equity throughout his time in office. Tim believes that the disparities that persist require a greater overhaul and analysis, which is why he sponsors legislation that would create a New York State Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice. This bill has passed both the Senate and Assembly, and Tim believes that its implementation is needed now more than ever - especially in the wake of the May 14th massacre.
Uplifting Our Healthcare Workers.
Tim was inspired to become an occupational therapist after watching his mom work for years as a nurse at Buffalo General, Mercy, and Millard Fillmore Hospitals. Throughout his career, he has focused his efforts on strengthening protections for healthcare workers. When nurses and support staff at Mercy Hospital went on strike in the Fall of 2021, Tim was right alongside them on the picket lines. He carried legislation that shortens the amount of time striking workers have to wait for unemployment benefits from seven weeks to two weeks. This legislation was passed and signed into law, and had a direct impact on Mercy’s frontline workers as they fought for a fair contract. Whether he’s rallying alongside unions for livable wages, demanding safer staffing ratios, or securing funding to ensure more people have access to care, Tim priorities quality patient care and the workers who deliver it every day.
Celebrating Inclusivity.
Tim believes WNY and New York State should be building accessible, inclusive communities that celebrate all individuals. He delivered $100,000 for GiGi’s Playhouse to support programming for children with Down Syndrome and their families. In the City of Buffalo, he secured more than $300,000 to build a new accessible playground at PS #84 Erie County Health Care Center for Children at ECMC, which is dedicated to children with multiple disabilities who require many assistive devices and therapies. Tim also partnered with local businessman and philanthropist Russell Salvatore to completely renovate the Cantalician Center for Learning’s courtyard. The courtyard previously lacked spaces for children with behavioral and mobility challenges, so Tim and Russ delivered funding to remodel it with a safe turf surface, sensory play tables, and interactive communal spaces.
Welcoming Diversity.
Tim has worked closely with the New York Immigration Coalition to expand language access by introducing legislation which would require essential public documents to be translated into the twelve most common non-English languages spoken in New York State. He’s been a steadfast supporter of the local Ukrainian community as they work to send aid overseas throughout the war with Russia. And when Journey’s End, a Western New York Refugee Resettlement Agency, needed additional aid for its Immigration Legal Services program, Tim worked to secure $20,000 in state funding to ensure that refugee families and asylum seekers across Western New York have access to free, quality legal representation as they navigate processes including naturalization, permanent residency, family reunification, and asylum.
Preserving Our Past
As we move our cities and region forward, Tim believes that it’s just as important to preserve and celebrate our past. Tim personally secured more than $700,000 to fully illuminate and enhance Buffalo’s Freedom Wall, which pays tribute to the African American civil rights leaders, past and present, who have transformed the fight for social justice and equality. As part of the project, LED lighting was installed to accent the iconic portraits, and the surrounding street and sidewalks were reconstructed to amplify and improve accessibility to the mural.
Creating Opportunity.
Job creation and economic development have remained at the top of Tim’s priority list. He sponsored legislation to foster the growth of green jobs by developing a workforce for emerging clean technology industries, and hosts the Queen City Job Fair every year featuring hundreds of WNY employers looking to fill positions across the region. He also created the Kennedy Jobs File to connect job seekers with opportunities in real-time.