Why Stories Matter

Thank you for everything, since the SOFSA conversation, I've spoken with Rachel from SCSD, Becky from [The Food Bank, he wrote OFRN], Janet from Cornell, Becky from the national sustainable ag coalition and the folks at Russo Produce. I'd never have been able to connect with them without your forum, and I learned so much from those conversations, so thank you.

The Food Justice Fund supports grassroots programs where passion and innovation intersect to help address needs that are often overlooked and even unknown to many. We are not only helping to make some of these projects come alive with financial support, but we are letting grantees know we believe in them and we are letting the community know we are committed to hearing them.

The Food Justice Fund is everything that mutual aid should be: diverse perspectives and lived experiences, consent-based decision-making, and community building from the ground up. Everyone’s inherent value is recognized, and we all meet each other where we are at to be stronger and more equitable as a collective.

Serving in the FJF is as good it gets. Our meetings were marked with clear objectives, spirited and respectful discussions, transparent and fair processes, all with a Northstar for making a difference in food justice for minoritized communities in Onondaga County. That we were fed delicious eats each meeting was a plus :)

Being a part of the FJF leadership council has been a privilege. I had the pleasure of meeting incredible people and learning more about our community’s needs. The FJF makes a difference in people’s lives and inspires me to do more.

Around 2022 while I was living in Denver, CO (and had been since 2007) I was coming to the realization that future stability for my family meant relocating. In my search, the main considerations for a new community to make our home included affordability, climate stability, politics, and proximity to family. With climate change on my mind, I cast a wide net, looking at smaller cities from Detroit, MI to Bangor, ME. Syracuse was always on the list, having grown up in Baldwinsville. One of the things that placed Syracuse at the top of my list was the adoption of ReZone. It seemed to signal that Syracuse was serious about equitable development, protecting its natural resources, and finally joining other cities in the 21st century. I didn’t realize then the role that SOFSA played in its development and passage, but I can say that my family moved to Syracuse because I could finally see a positive future for the city due to ReZone.

On August 13th, we joined the Producers and Food Procurers Discussion hosted by the Syracuse-Onondaga Food Systems Alliance (SOFSA) and facilitated by CCE Harvest NY Agricultural Climate Resilience Team and CCE Onondaga.
It was inspiring to see farmers, food producers, and buyers working together to connect more local, farm-fresh products with our schools and institutions. Thank you to SOFSA and CCE for leading the way in building a stronger, more resilient local food system.

SOFSA is more than an advocacy organization, they are changemakers seeding a movement to power up historically disinvested communities… There’s not a space in this food system and other justice work where SOFSA is not mentioned. I am very honored to work alongside the SOFSA team.