Syracuse Grows

THE SYRACUSE ONONDAGA FOOD SYSTEMS ALLIANCE (SOFSA) IS A MULTI SECTOR FOOD COUNCIL THAT WORKS TO STRENGTHEN THE FOOD SYSTEM SO THAT IT WORKS FOR ALL PEOPLE IN OUR REGION. OUR PARTNERSHIP AIMS TO FOSTER RELATIONSHIPS, DEVELOP PROJECTS, AND ALIGN RESOURCES TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF OUR NEIGHBORS AND OUR ENVIRONMENT. THE PROPOSED IMPLEMENTATION PROJECT WILL STRENGTHEN LOCAL CAPACITIES AND COMMUNITY CONNECTIVITY TOWARD A THRIVING REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM IN THE CITY OF SYRACUSE THE LARGEST CITY IN CENTRAL NEW YORK AS WELL AS SURROUNDING ONONDAGA COUNTY AND NEIGHBORING ONONDAGA NATION THROUGH 1)FOSTERING COLLABORATION AND COORDINATION AMONG SYRACUSE ONONDAGA FOOD SYSTEM STAKEHOLDERS BY CONVENING THE PARTNERSHIP NETWORK AND ADVANCING A SHARED STRATEGIC APPROACH 2)CULTIVATING THE NEXT GENERATION OF FOOD SYSTEMS LEADERS BY ACTIVELY ENGAGING YOUTH IN APPRENTICESHIP AND LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES 3)PROMOTING THE IMPORTANCE OF REGIONAL AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SYSTEMS TO THE PUBLIC AT LARGE 4)NURTURING HEALTHY, RESILIENT ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS BY ENHANCING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE FOOD SYSTEM AND THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT OUR REGION IS HOME TO A DIVERSITY OF BOTH POPULATIONS AND LANDSCAPES, PRESENTING A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR A REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEMS PARTNERSHIP. THE COUNTY IS HOME TO COMMUNITIES EXPERIENCING CONCENTRATED POVERTY WITHIN THE URBAN CENTER, A LARGE REFUGEE POPULATION SITUATED MOSTLY ON THE CITY S NORTHSIDE, ONONDAGA NATION WHOSE TERRITORY IS LOCATED JUST TO THE CITY S SOUTH, BOTH URBAN AND RURAL AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS, AND NUMEROUS OTHER FOOD BUSINESS ENTERPRISES. THE PROPOSED PROJECT WILL KNIT TOGETHER THE SHARED INTERESTS OF THIS COUNTY S UNIQUE COMPOSITION TO SUPPORT A COORDINATED, EQUITABLE, AND RESILIENT REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM. THROUGH OUR EFFORTS, WE ANTICIPATE THE FOLLOWING OUTCOMES INCREASED OVERALL CAPACITY OF THE REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM BY EXPANDING THE NETWORK OF PARTNERS ENGAGED IN COORDINATED, COLLABORATIVE ACTIVITIES TO EFFICIENTLY ACHIEVE SHARED GOALSAND PARTICIPATING IN SHARED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES TOGETHER INCREASED CONNECTIVITY AND DEEPENED RELATIONSHIPS THAT CAN BE ACTIVATED FOR COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS, MOBILIZED IN RESPONSE TO IDENTIFIED NEEDS, AND ENGAGED IN JOINT FUNDSEEKING STRONGER UNDERSTANDING OF THE CHANGING NEEDS, OPPORTUNITIES, AND DYNAMICS OF STAKEHOLDER GROUPS ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH DEEP COMMUNITY AND YOUTH ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS INCREASED AWARENESS AND CONSUMPTION OF FOOD PRODUCED IN THE REGION THROUGH EXPANDED PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGNS ALONGSIDE ENGAGEMENT OF PRODUCERS AND CONSUMERS ALIKE HEALTHIER, MORE RESILIENT ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS THROUGH EFFORTS TO COORDINATE FOOD WASTE REDUCTION RESCUE AND DEEPENING RESEARCH TO IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES FOR ACTION OUR PROJECT AIMS TO SERVE ANYONE WHO EATS, GROWS, OR JUST LOVES FOOD IN ONONDAGA COUNTY. THE PARTNERSHIP COVERS THE CITY OF SYRACUSE (POP. 148,620), SURROUNDING ONONDAGA COUNTY (POP. 476,516), AND NEIGHBORING ONONDAGA NATION A TOTAL GEOGRAPHIC AREA OF 780 SQUARE MILES. WE ANTICIPATE THAT OUR PROJECT WILL BENEFIT ALL RESIDENTS OF OUR REGION AS WELL AS MANY OUTSIDE THE COUNTY S GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDS GIVEN THAT SEVERAL OF OUR PARTNERS INCLUDING THE FOOD BANK AND REGIONAL FARMERS MARKET SERVE A MUCH WIDER AUDIENCE INCLUDING THE WHOLE OF THE EIGHT COUNTY CENTRAL NEW YORK REGION. THESE INCLUDE SEGMENTS OF THE FOOD SYSTEM INCLUDING PRODUCERS, DISTRIBUTORS, AND FARM AND FOOD SERVICE WORKERS AS WELL AS WHOLE COMMUNITIES INCLUDING INDIGENOUS PARTNERS, INDIVIDUALS WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE OF FOOD INSECURITY AND POVERTY, NEW AMERICANS, YOUTH, BLACK AND LATINX COMMUNITIES.

SYRACUSE-ONONDAGA FOOD SYSTEMS ALLIANCE: COLLABORATING TO BULD A MORE RESILIENT FOOD SYSTEM IN UPSTATE NEW YORK