Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Good morning and welcome to the Inner Harbor cast
, connecting our community tothe people who matter.
Each episode we shine a lighton the voices making a
difference in Syracuse andbeyond.
It's time to dive right into it.
This morning I have Kate Artesa, who is the executive director
of the Interreligious FoodConsortium of CNY Central New
York.
Kate, good morning Welcome.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Good morning, skip.
Thank you, it's good to see you.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
I don't think we've ever met before, so this will be
very educational to me as well,and hopefully to our viewers
and our listeners.
But, kate, can you start bytelling us what is the
Interreligious Food Consortium,the IFC, and how did it come to
be?
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Well, it's a grassroots organization, Been
around since 1982.
I wasn't there in 1982.
I've been there about fiveyears, took it over from a woman
that was there for about 18years and it's kind of sort of a
best kept secret at timesbecause we serve a lot of the
pantries that are small,under-resourced, not served by
(01:06):
the food bank.
So we aren't part of the foodbank at all.
We don't have an affiliationthere other than you know I know
what they do, they know what wedo.
They serve 11 counties and allkinds of places and we try to
get into the smaller areas ofpeople that don't have access.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
So you predate the food bank, cny?
Yes, and that's a powerfuldetail right there.
That means a lot.
How did those early days withwhat six churches evolve into
the broader mission that we seetoday?
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Well, I'm sure it has to do with the fact that things
have changed.
People are really in need.
We have not a great reputationof being a very impoverished
area in the country, and so Ithink things had popped up.
People realized, through thechurches and wanting to help
their community, that they wouldpop up and create food pantries
(01:59):
.
So then they needed the foodfor the food pantry.
So it kind of evolved into this.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
So, for those unfamiliar, how does IFC's role
differ from, like the largerorganization, the food bank?
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Well, we do some of the same things, but on a
smaller scale.
What we do is we collect fooddonations.
You know people will call andsay they'll do a food drive for
us.
We have grants that we haveapplied for and gotten and we
have a lot of very faithfulsupporters over the years.
(02:33):
We send out newsletters andthen through those newsletters
people know more about us.
We have one big, big fundraisera year and that's coming up
October 3rd it's a Friday.
We've been doing it for over 20years.
The Syracuse University Visualand Performing Arts Department
makes the bowls, along withClayscapes, which is another
(02:55):
organization that does a lot forthe community, and they make
maybe 1,500, 1,600 bowls andthen we display them and people
come and then I contact about 16restaurants in our area and
they provide us with a big potof soup.
So after you buy a bowl you geta soup for free.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
I mean for the purchase of the bowl, and I want
to talk more about that in justa little bit.
But I also want to dig into theorganization itself.
I know these events are so veryimportant.
I think it's your big event theonly event, the only big
fundraiser?
Yes, but you know you servesome of the smallest and some of
the most under-resourcedpantries in Syracuse.
What kind of impact does thatkind of being hyper-local
(03:40):
support have on thesecommunities?
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Well, we're hoping.
I mean we do hear from ourpantries.
They come and get the food anda lot of times they're hugging
us by the time that we pack upthe three or 400 pounds that we
give them.
Every month we have over 20, 30some pantries and so we give
them at least three or four.
The other day I gave someonearound 700 pounds because I
happened to have a lot of foodavailable.
(04:03):
So it kind of ebbs and flows alittle bit and so by the end
we're hugging these peoplebecause they're saying how much
it means to them.
They're seeing a lot longerlines in there at their pantries
, people calling with desperateneeds, with emergencies, with
you know.
So we're hoping that it doesmake an impact.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
I can only imagine that hug must mean so much, yeah
, it's great, I mean I get thechicken noodles just thinking
about what you just said.
Can you describe what a day inthe life looks like for your
team, for the IFC team?
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Okay, well, we have a small team.
I am part-time there, myhusband also volunteers there,
along with a few other women,and we just we get in food, we
pack it, we look for places thatmight want to donate food.
People bring us, like you know,sometimes we'll get the food
(04:53):
from College Town Bagels, paneraor whatever and we pass that
out.
I just got a new freezer.
We're partners with theinterreligious, interfaith works
excuse me, interfaith works andthey're up the street from us.
We partner with them and a lotof the pantries that we serve
are part of their organization.
So what we do is try tocollaborate.
(05:16):
They'll have some food drivesfor us.
We'll get the word out throughthem and then we'll just get
food coming in.
We have, you know, an area thatwe had, northern Comfort.
I don't know if you've heard ofthat organization Operation.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Northern Comfort.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
Yes, yes very well, we reached out to them a few
years ago because we wereworking out of these, you know,
metal kind of rickety.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
Like cabinets or shelves.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Shelf, excuse me, shelves like cabinets or shelves
excuse me, shelves, and so wehad them come over and they
measured within a few days, cameback with these amazing,
beautiful, heavy duty wooden youknow they do amazing work,
amazing, and they give back somuch, so much, just like you do.
We have everything sorted sothat we can almost go through
almost like a grocery store,pick out things for people,
package it.
(06:03):
Folks that come in to help, tovolunteer, they'll package it up
for us.
We'll have it ready.
Then the folks will come inVery nice.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Very nice.
Let's talk a little bit aboutyour crisis response work.
How did the IFC become thego-to emergency food resource
for Onondaga County's contacttracing counselors?
How did all that come about?
Speaker 2 (06:23):
Well, that was kind of an interesting.
It was COVID.
That was during COVID and wewere finding that we were
getting calls.
We were finding that peoplewere in such need because they
were quarantined at that timefor 10 days.
So we're like, okay, how do youknow?
We can pack people up, but howcan they come and get it?
What can they do?
So we decided to work with thecounty and because we were
(06:44):
getting so many calls and theysaid, if you would be willing to
put it together and deliver it,we'll work with you.
So we were getting all thesecalls, then we'd pick it up, we
delivered it.
It was probably a year that wedid it.
When, finally, covid lessened,people were maybe quarantined
for four days so they were moreable to get their food or have a
neighbor get their food.
But at the beginning, when itwas so intense, we were out
(07:06):
there delivering.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
Sure, which we don't do anymore?
No, you don't, but at that timeyou had to do it and they
stepped up and everybody workedtogether at that.
You know also, I understand,you're providing a same day,
seven days a week food deliverywhich is incredible, by the way
which is incredible.
What does it take, with thelogistics of all that and
emotionally, to sustain thatlevel of service?
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Okay, I'm not sure that's correct.
No, okay, we don't do any moredelivering?
Speaker 1 (07:33):
That's a question I just happened to see somewhere.
Oh, you don't.
You just mentioned that wedon't do any more delivering.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
We're just working there through the week, you know
a weekday type of thing but Ido have my phone connected to my
phone, my office phoneconnected to my phone so I can
get calls all the time.
But I try to refer if I can toany emergency places that will
serve someone, or, and or givethem lists of pantries.
I got you.
(07:58):
Yeah, I was just.
I was looking at some of thenotes and I was writing
questions.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
Yeah, ok, I got you.
You know you rely entirely ondonations.
Correct, right.
One hundred you.
You know you rely entirely ondonations, right 100% donations.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
We're 401, 501c3.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
501c3.
And how has that shaped the waythat you connect with the
community and tell your storyabout that?
Speaker 2 (08:14):
Well, I think I mean it was predated me, but it's
always been a 501c3 and it'salways been kind of a community
like how can we help?
I mean churches will call usand say you know, how can we
help?
I mean churches will call usand say you know, how can we
help you?
And we'll say, well, have afood drive.
I give them a list of food.
They can put a poster up andsay you know, if your folks are
going to the grocery store, pickup a few of these items that
are listed.
Those are the ones we give outthe most.
(08:35):
Schools will do it.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
Agencies OCRA has done it before, ocwa has done it
also um a few otherorganizations, will you know
reach out and and say I'll do afood pantry.
Yeah, food drive for you,that's huge and if somebody
wanted to make a donation thewebsite they can go online and
(08:59):
click the link and donate andit's all safe and secure and tax
deductible because you're a501c3.
Correct?
Speaker 2 (09:06):
We have a PayPal on our website, easy, easy.
And then you know I have myaddress, we can put our address
up there you can write a little,you know, send a little card
with a check in it.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
Do you know?
Speaker 2 (09:17):
the website right off the top of your head
wwwifccnyorg good because I washoping it wasn't all those words
, because I wouldn't be able tospell it correctly, but it's ifc
, ifccny, I love thatorg, I lovethat.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
Uh, you know.
Now I want to talk about theempty bowls.
Okay, this is cool.
We touched on it just a fewminutes ago.
Tell me a little bit more aboutthat.
What makes this event sospecial and how does it bring
the arts and activism together?
I know you talked about yourpartners a little bit.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
Yeah, we empty bowls started years ago and I think
it's a nationwide project.
So there's other places that doempty bowls and it's it's out
of the concept of you know, noone should have an empty bowl.
We shouldn't have to be hopingfor a meal.
Please, let's have a meal.
People should be served, shouldhave food.
So it started by a couple thatthought that this would be a
(10:09):
good thing, and why don't wedevelop it into a community?
People participate, they makethese beautiful bowls and then
when you take the bowl home, youremember that no one should
have an empty bowl.
There's kind of a symbolismthere.
I give out little cards thatthank them on our behalf and you
know.
So it's like a gift.
That's a gift you know you'regetting a gift, someone else is
(10:29):
getting a gift, and then thesoup is just really added a
bonus.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
And it's up to the restaurant that gets involved to
decide what kind of soup.
Yep.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
So they can decide.
I don't have anything to dowith mushroom, we could do a
chicken.
I love chicken.
We have an amazing variety.
Everyone's comments on that, soit's about.
It's about 16 differentrestaurants.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
And you said, your partners are like a clay, scapes
, pottery and Syracuseuniversity.
They help sustain the missionand spread awareness.
And how do they do that?
Speaker 2 (10:57):
Well University.
They help sustain the missionand spread awareness.
And how do they do that?
Well, Clayscapes makes thebowls, but also provides clay.
Okay.
So if anybody wants to make abowl, or is a potter out there
and wants to make a bowl, we'rewelcome to do that and
Clayscapes will give them theclay.
They give the clay to thestudents at SU and the faculty.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
We have a couple of very well-renowned potters that
also provide bowls to us and soit's been going, you know, for
many years you know, um, iflisteners want to get involved,
can they help?
And what, what?
Anybody that's watching this,somebody that listens to this on
the air one of our four radiostations how can they, um, how
can they get involved?
Speaker 2 (11:35):
well, first of all come.
That's probably the best way toget involved, and that's in
October.
That's in October.
It's the first Friday, October3rd, and it's at the Nancy
Cantor Warehouse, which is on.
Fayette Street in Armory Square.
There's plenty of parking inthe back of the building and
then around the event and we'llhave signs up and everything but
(11:59):
coming and participating,seeing what we do.
Really, if there's a potter orpeople that would like to make
bowls, they can do that, theycan volunteer.
Come in and do it, they canvolunteer and make a bowl and
donate the bowl to us beforehand, but it's mostly SU, the
students make the bowls, butthen they also volunteer, as
does ClayScape.
So we have plenty of volunteers, fortunately.
(12:20):
So that's not one of the thingsthat we could use, but you know
, coming to the event is reallythe best.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
What about listeners or viewers?
Maybe organizing a food driveor some sort of fundraising
effort?
Speaker 2 (12:34):
I would love that.
That's been something that'syou know some of it has.
Because of the schools and theschools being busy, they don't
always have the time to do that.
But I like to encourage schoolsto do it because that's a good
thing for a student to learnwhat's going on.
But if someone wants to, thenit's fairly easy.
I would send them theinformation that they can make
up a poster and it tells all thedifferent things that we tend
(12:55):
to like, because it's allnon-perishable foods that we get
and it tells all the differentthings that we tend to like,
because it's all non-perishablefoods that we get, although
lately I've been getting alittle bit of frozen, because I
did get a new freezer.
But we hand out mostlynon-perishable things, and so if
they can gather a grouptogether, maybe it's a church
group, maybe it's a school groupor it's a neighborhood.
Cedric Farms NeighborhoodAssociation has donated food to
(13:17):
us too.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
That's great.
We're talking with Kate Artessa.
She's the executive director ofthe Interreligious Food
Consortium of CNY, the IFC.
That's how you see it, and ifyou go to ifccnyorg you can get
a lot of that great informationas we talk about it here this
morning as well.
What are your concerns, biggestconcerns and hopes for the?
(13:38):
You know, for the future here,let's say in the next year?
Speaker 2 (13:41):
Well, one of my hopes that I say to people, which I
don't it's not real realistic,but it's.
I would like to become extinct,because if I become extinct
then that means everybody hasfood.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
You've taken care of the problem Right.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
So that would.
That's my main goal.
But in working toward that, inthe meantime we're just trying
to gather as much food as we candonations so that we can buy
food.
Yesterday we went to Costco, myhusband and I, and bought
Ensure, because a lot of thepeople that we're serving are in
high-rise, low-incomeapartments and they're elderly,
either can't get out or they'rejust difficult to serve.
(14:17):
So we get them the insurer sothat they will at least maybe
have one meal.
And our pantries go crazy.
That's gold to our pantriesbecause they can hand it out and
know that someone's getting youknow a good, some good
nutrition.
But it's like $40 a case andyou don't get many you know
exactly.
So we went and got and theylimit you so we have to go back
a few times to get more cases.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
You know you're talking about this being $40 a
case and when we came in andbefore we went out with the
lights and the camera here, youshowed me a graphic.
Let me see that for a secondhere.
I don't know if they can see ithere on the camera or not, but
it says the most expensivevehicle to operate in 2025.
It's a shopping cart, it's agrocery cart.
Yeah, true, and it continues togrow up.
(15:01):
That is, that's very effectiveright there.
Yeah, that's.
That's.
You know what it's all aboutyou, kate, and your IFC team.
What keeps you inspired andgrounded when the needs get
overwhelming.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
I think it's the people that we serve.
I mean I, you know, sometimesit gets to be like, oh my gosh,
are we really making adifference?
Oh, we have all these things.
I mean it's heavy stuff thatwe're doing, heavy things that
we're carrying.
Most of the people that areworking with me are my age and
so you know we're doing itbecause we really believe in it,
and just the people that comeand get the food are so grateful
.
And we also are starting toserve some schools.
(15:38):
Schools are setting up littlepantries in their you know areas
, some of the social workers andsaying you know, I'm going to
feed the kids on the weekendswhen they don't have food, and
they'll gather some foodtogether, get backpacks.
And because they have to put itin backpacks, because the kids
get bullied if they're takingfood.
Speaker 1 (15:56):
So, you know, it's some of those things that we're
trying to work with what you'resaying kind of tells me one
thing that, as much as you liketo see this go away and never,
never be an issue, it's alwaysgoing to be an issue, for a
little while at least, for sometime to come.
And now we're into the schoolsmaking sure these kids get fed
as well.
(16:16):
Right, exactly, if you couldcommunicate one thing to the
public or those watching orlistening to this about food
insecurity in Syracuse andCentral New York, what would
that be?
Speaker 2 (16:30):
Well, you know, it's hard because we see it like
daily I get calls or I'm seeingthe folks from the pantries come
and hearing the stories, fromthe pantries come and hearing
the stories, and I was talkingto somebody yesterday that was
working with someone that washomeless, put up in one of the
hotels in Syracuse, thenreleased from the hotel, put
into an apartment, but thenthere were no services anymore
(16:52):
for her, so and she was pregnantand you know, just, the stories
just go on and on and it's justhard to communicate how, just a
little bit of things, ifsomeone just went and got a bag
of food or whatever, how muchthat impact will be, wow, wow
any final thoughts?
Speaker 1 (17:10):
I know you like my questions I love your questions.
Speaker 2 (17:12):
It's like I was doing very thorough.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
producer steve was like yeah, you did your homework
right.
I said I did my homework but,like I said in the beginning,
this is educational to me aswell, because this is one of
those organizations where wedon't hear a lot about and we
need to hear about it a lot more.
So it's our effort of gettingit out there and hopefully those
watching this and thoselistening will definitely look
(17:36):
into it a little bit further.
But any final thoughts orstories you'd like to share
about the people you've met orlives that you've seen changed
through the IFC's work, yeah,Boy there's a lot of stories.
Is there one that sticks out inyour?
Speaker 2 (17:57):
mind.
There's too many, there's somany, so many.
You know people, just a lot ofemergency situations that I wish
I could deal with more.
I try to at least give someoneanother number to call or
someplace else to get themhooked up with someone, because
you know a lot of times thefolks that are in these
situations, they're on differentfood stamps, they're on this,
you know this program and theyhave all these calls and they
(18:18):
have all these things to youknow do and they have all these
calls and they have all thesethings to do.
So I like to try to have peopleavoid doing some of that and
help them as quickly as I canwith some resources.
So I've been trying to reallygain knowledge of what's out
there for people.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
I know we're running short on time here, but quickly,
with everything that's going on, with all these cuts and all
that, is that affecting what youdo?
Yes, I know prices are going upon groceries, but can we talk
about that a little bit?
Speaker 2 (18:44):
Well, prices are going up and their food stamps,
et cetera, are going down.
Speaker 1 (18:52):
So that just makes it faster.
Would that be like the SNAPbenefits?
Speaker 2 (18:53):
SNAP, food stamps, all the different programs are
being cut or reduced and so thatjust causes the panic for
people.
You know the social securityissues that you know the
different, the Medicaid,medicare, that all impacts the
folks that we deal with becauseyou know they're just in this
maze of trying to figure out howto, you know, make ends meet.
(19:14):
And then you know landlords andyou know people have to pay
their rents and get evicted.
I mean, I just hear a lot ofstories so you know, but food is
the basic and a lot of themhave children and it's just
really important.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
So that would be all the more reason, if you're
listening or watching this, togo to the website ifccnyorg and
donate Correct, I mean just, weall see what's going on around
us in the world nowadays, but weneed to help those in need.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
Right, and a lot of that's being taken away.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
Yes, and if people want to call and want to do a
food drive, I can provideposters and kind of ideas as to
how to get one going real quickbefore we say goodbye, empty
bowls, october 3rd.
I'll read it off, right here,at the Nancy Cantor Warehouse,
which is 350 West Fayette StreetHundreds of bowls and it sounds
like it's just a lot of fun.
(20:06):
Bread provided by Postabilitiestoo.
Speaker 2 (20:09):
Oh, I can't forget that.
Yes, that's a biggie.
Wow, you talk aboutPostabilities.
That was totally cut back on mybread, and they do soup too.
Bread and soup.
Speaker 1 (20:18):
Nice and jump online.
I'm sure you can get all thatinformation.
Ifcnyorg, we've been chattingwith Kate Artesa, the executive
director of the InterreligiousFood Consortium of CNY.
I want to say first of all, kate, thank you so much for spending
a few minutes this morning tocome in and educate me, and
hopefully our viewers andlisteners, about what the
(20:40):
Interreligious Food Consortiumis all about.
I want to say thanks forlistening to the Inner Harbor
cast.
This is where I say communitymeets conversation and if you
enjoyed today's episode, be sureto subscribe, share, stay
connected.
Ifccnyorg is their website.
Until next time, my name isSkip Clark.
Thank you so much for watching.
Thank you to Kate.
(21:00):
Take care and let's keeplifting Syracuse.
Good morning and welcome to the Inner Harbor cast
, connecting our community tothe people who matter.
Each episode we shine a lighton the voices making a
difference in Syracuse andbeyond.
It's time to dive right into it.
This morning I have Kate Artesa, who is the executive director
of the Interreligious FoodConsortium of CNY Central New
York.
Kate, good morning Welcome.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Good morning, skip.
Thank you, it's good to see you.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
I don't think we've ever met before, so this will be
very educational to me as well,and hopefully to our viewers
and our listeners.
But, kate, can you start bytelling us what is the
Interreligious Food Consortium,the IFC, and how did it come to
be?
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Well, it's a grassroots organization, Been
around since 1982.
I wasn't there in 1982.
I've been there about fiveyears, took it over from a woman
that was there for about 18years and it's kind of sort of a
best kept secret at timesbecause we serve a lot of the
pantries that are small,under-resourced, not served by
(01:06):
the food bank.
So we aren't part of the foodbank at all.
We don't have an affiliationthere other than you know I know
what they do, they know what wedo.
They serve 11 counties and allkinds of places and we try to
get into the smaller areas ofpeople that don't have access.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
So you predate the food bank, cny?
Yes, and that's a powerfuldetail right there.
That means a lot.
How did those early days withwhat six churches evolve into
the broader mission that we seetoday?
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Well, I'm sure it has to do with the fact that things
have changed.
People are really in need.
We have not a great reputationof being a very impoverished
area in the country, and so Ithink things had popped up.
People realized, through thechurches and wanting to help
their community, that they wouldpop up and create food pantries
(01:59):
.
So then they needed the foodfor the food pantry.
So it kind of evolved into this.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
So, for those unfamiliar, how does IFC's role
differ from, like the largerorganization, the food bank?
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Well, we do some of the same things, but on a
smaller scale.
What we do is we collect fooddonations.
You know people will call andsay they'll do a food drive for
us.
We have grants that we haveapplied for and gotten and we
have a lot of very faithfulsupporters over the years.
(02:33):
We send out newsletters andthen through those newsletters
people know more about us.
We have one big, big fundraisera year and that's coming up
October 3rd it's a Friday.
We've been doing it for over 20years.
The Syracuse University Visualand Performing Arts Department
makes the bowls, along withClayscapes, which is another
(02:55):
organization that does a lot forthe community, and they make
maybe 1,500, 1,600 bowls andthen we display them and people
come and then I contact about 16restaurants in our area and
they provide us with a big potof soup.
So after you buy a bowl you geta soup for free.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
I mean for the purchase of the bowl, and I want
to talk more about that in justa little bit.
But I also want to dig into theorganization itself.
I know these events are so veryimportant.
I think it's your big event theonly event, the only big
fundraiser?
Yes, but you know you servesome of the smallest and some of
the most under-resourcedpantries in Syracuse.
What kind of impact does thatkind of being hyper-local
(03:40):
support have on thesecommunities?
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Well, we're hoping.
I mean we do hear from ourpantries.
They come and get the food anda lot of times they're hugging
us by the time that we pack upthe three or 400 pounds that we
give them.
Every month we have over 20, 30some pantries and so we give
them at least three or four.
The other day I gave someonearound 700 pounds because I
happened to have a lot of foodavailable.
(04:03):
So it kind of ebbs and flows alittle bit and so by the end
we're hugging these peoplebecause they're saying how much
it means to them.
They're seeing a lot longerlines in there at their pantries
, people calling with desperateneeds, with emergencies, with
you know.
So we're hoping that it doesmake an impact.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
I can only imagine that hug must mean so much, yeah
, it's great, I mean I get thechicken noodles just thinking
about what you just said.
Can you describe what a day inthe life looks like for your
team, for the IFC team?
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Okay, well, we have a small team.
I am part-time there, myhusband also volunteers there,
along with a few other women,and we just we get in food, we
pack it, we look for places thatmight want to donate food.
People bring us, like you know,sometimes we'll get the food
(04:53):
from College Town Bagels, paneraor whatever and we pass that
out.
I just got a new freezer.
We're partners with theinterreligious, interfaith works
excuse me, interfaith works andthey're up the street from us.
We partner with them and a lotof the pantries that we serve
are part of their organization.
So what we do is try tocollaborate.
(05:16):
They'll have some food drivesfor us.
We'll get the word out throughthem and then we'll just get
food coming in.
We have, you know, an area thatwe had, northern Comfort.
I don't know if you've heard ofthat organization Operation.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Northern Comfort.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
Yes, yes very well, we reached out to them a few
years ago because we wereworking out of these, you know,
metal kind of rickety.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
Like cabinets or shelves.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Shelf, excuse me, shelves like cabinets or shelves
excuse me, shelves, and so wehad them come over and they
measured within a few days, cameback with these amazing,
beautiful, heavy duty wooden youknow they do amazing work,
amazing, and they give back somuch, so much, just like you do.
We have everything sorted sothat we can almost go through
almost like a grocery store,pick out things for people,
package it.
(06:03):
Folks that come in to help, tovolunteer, they'll package it up
for us.
We'll have it ready.
Then the folks will come inVery nice.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Very nice.
Let's talk a little bit aboutyour crisis response work.
How did the IFC become thego-to emergency food resource
for Onondaga County's contacttracing counselors?
How did all that come about?
Speaker 2 (06:23):
Well, that was kind of an interesting.
It was COVID.
That was during COVID and wewere finding that we were
getting calls.
We were finding that peoplewere in such need because they
were quarantined at that timefor 10 days.
So we're like, okay, how do youknow?
We can pack people up, but howcan they come and get it?
What can they do?
So we decided to work with thecounty and because we were
(06:44):
getting so many calls and theysaid, if you would be willing to
put it together and deliver it,we'll work with you.
So we were getting all thesecalls, then we'd pick it up, we
delivered it.
It was probably a year that wedid it.
When, finally, covid lessened,people were maybe quarantined
for four days so they were moreable to get their food or have a
neighbor get their food.
But at the beginning, when itwas so intense, we were out
(07:06):
there delivering.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
Sure, which we don't do anymore?
No, you don't, but at that timeyou had to do it and they
stepped up and everybody workedtogether at that.
You know also, I understand,you're providing a same day,
seven days a week food deliverywhich is incredible, by the way
which is incredible.
What does it take, with thelogistics of all that and
emotionally, to sustain thatlevel of service?
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Okay, I'm not sure that's correct.
No, okay, we don't do any moredelivering?
Speaker 1 (07:33):
That's a question I just happened to see somewhere.
Oh, you don't.
You just mentioned that wedon't do any more delivering.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
We're just working there through the week, you know
a weekday type of thing but Ido have my phone connected to my
phone, my office phoneconnected to my phone so I can
get calls all the time.
But I try to refer if I can toany emergency places that will
serve someone, or, and or givethem lists of pantries.
I got you.
(07:58):
Yeah, I was just.
I was looking at some of thenotes and I was writing
questions.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
Yeah, ok, I got you.
You know you rely entirely ondonations.
Correct, right.
One hundred you.
You know you rely entirely ondonations, right 100% donations.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
We're 401, 501c3.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
501c3.
And how has that shaped the waythat you connect with the
community and tell your storyabout that?
Speaker 2 (08:14):
Well, I think I mean it was predated me, but it's
always been a 501c3 and it'salways been kind of a community
like how can we help?
I mean churches will call usand say you know, how can we
help?
I mean churches will call usand say you know, how can we
help you?
And we'll say, well, have afood drive.
I give them a list of food.
They can put a poster up andsay you know, if your folks are
going to the grocery store, pickup a few of these items that
are listed.
Those are the ones we give outthe most.
(08:35):
Schools will do it.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
Agencies OCRA has done it before, ocwa has done it
also um a few otherorganizations, will you know
reach out and and say I'll do afood pantry.
Yeah, food drive for you,that's huge and if somebody
wanted to make a donation thewebsite they can go online and
(08:59):
click the link and donate andit's all safe and secure and tax
deductible because you're a501c3.
Correct?
Speaker 2 (09:06):
We have a PayPal on our website, easy, easy.
And then you know I have myaddress, we can put our address
up there you can write a little,you know, send a little card
with a check in it.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
Do you know?
Speaker 2 (09:17):
the website right off the top of your head
wwwifccnyorg good because I washoping it wasn't all those words
, because I wouldn't be able tospell it correctly, but it's ifc
, ifccny, I love thatorg, I lovethat.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
Uh, you know.
Now I want to talk about theempty bowls.
Okay, this is cool.
We touched on it just a fewminutes ago.
Tell me a little bit more aboutthat.
What makes this event sospecial and how does it bring
the arts and activism together?
I know you talked about yourpartners a little bit.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
Yeah, we empty bowls started years ago and I think
it's a nationwide project.
So there's other places that doempty bowls and it's it's out
of the concept of you know, noone should have an empty bowl.
We shouldn't have to be hopingfor a meal.
Please, let's have a meal.
People should be served, shouldhave food.
So it started by a couple thatthought that this would be a
(10:09):
good thing, and why don't wedevelop it into a community?
People participate, they makethese beautiful bowls and then
when you take the bowl home, youremember that no one should
have an empty bowl.
There's kind of a symbolismthere.
I give out little cards thatthank them on our behalf and you
know.
So it's like a gift.
That's a gift you know you'regetting a gift, someone else is
(10:29):
getting a gift, and then thesoup is just really added a
bonus.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
And it's up to the restaurant that gets involved to
decide what kind of soup.
Yep.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
So they can decide.
I don't have anything to dowith mushroom, we could do a
chicken.
I love chicken.
We have an amazing variety.
Everyone's comments on that, soit's about.
It's about 16 differentrestaurants.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
And you said, your partners are like a clay, scapes
, pottery and Syracuseuniversity.
They help sustain the missionand spread awareness.
And how do they do that?
Speaker 2 (10:57):
Well University.
They help sustain the missionand spread awareness.
And how do they do that?
Well, Clayscapes makes thebowls, but also provides clay.
Okay.
So if anybody wants to make abowl, or is a potter out there
and wants to make a bowl, we'rewelcome to do that and
Clayscapes will give them theclay.
They give the clay to thestudents at SU and the faculty.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
We have a couple of very well-renowned potters that
also provide bowls to us and soit's been going, you know, for
many years you know, um, iflisteners want to get involved,
can they help?
And what, what?
Anybody that's watching this,somebody that listens to this on
the air one of our four radiostations how can they, um, how
can they get involved?
Speaker 2 (11:35):
well, first of all come.
That's probably the best way toget involved, and that's in
October.
That's in October.
It's the first Friday, October3rd, and it's at the Nancy
Cantor Warehouse, which is on.
Fayette Street in Armory Square.
There's plenty of parking inthe back of the building and
then around the event and we'llhave signs up and everything but
(11:59):
coming and participating,seeing what we do.
Really, if there's a potter orpeople that would like to make
bowls, they can do that, theycan volunteer.
Come in and do it, they canvolunteer and make a bowl and
donate the bowl to us beforehand, but it's mostly SU, the
students make the bowls, butthen they also volunteer, as
does ClayScape.
So we have plenty of volunteers, fortunately.
(12:20):
So that's not one of the thingsthat we could use, but you know
, coming to the event is reallythe best.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
What about listeners or viewers?
Maybe organizing a food driveor some sort of fundraising
effort?
Speaker 2 (12:34):
I would love that.
That's been something that'syou know some of it has.
Because of the schools and theschools being busy, they don't
always have the time to do that.
But I like to encourage schoolsto do it because that's a good
thing for a student to learnwhat's going on.
But if someone wants to, thenit's fairly easy.
I would send them theinformation that they can make
up a poster and it tells all thedifferent things that we tend
(12:55):
to like, because it's allnon-perishable foods that we get
and it tells all the differentthings that we tend to like,
because it's all non-perishablefoods that we get, although
lately I've been getting alittle bit of frozen, because I
did get a new freezer.
But we hand out mostlynon-perishable things, and so if
they can gather a grouptogether, maybe it's a church
group, maybe it's a school groupor it's a neighborhood.
Cedric Farms NeighborhoodAssociation has donated food to
(13:17):
us too.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
That's great.
We're talking with Kate Artessa.
She's the executive director ofthe Interreligious Food
Consortium of CNY, the IFC.
That's how you see it, and ifyou go to ifccnyorg you can get
a lot of that great informationas we talk about it here this
morning as well.
What are your concerns, biggestconcerns and hopes for the?
(13:38):
You know, for the future here,let's say in the next year?
Speaker 2 (13:41):
Well, one of my hopes that I say to people, which I
don't it's not real realistic,but it's.
I would like to become extinct,because if I become extinct
then that means everybody hasfood.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
You've taken care of the problem Right.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
So that would.
That's my main goal.
But in working toward that, inthe meantime we're just trying
to gather as much food as we candonations so that we can buy
food.
Yesterday we went to Costco, myhusband and I, and bought
Ensure, because a lot of thepeople that we're serving are in
high-rise, low-incomeapartments and they're elderly,
either can't get out or they'rejust difficult to serve.
(14:17):
So we get them the insurer sothat they will at least maybe
have one meal.
And our pantries go crazy.
That's gold to our pantriesbecause they can hand it out and
know that someone's getting youknow a good, some good
nutrition.
But it's like $40 a case andyou don't get many you know
exactly.
So we went and got and theylimit you so we have to go back
a few times to get more cases.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
You know you're talking about this being $40 a
case and when we came in andbefore we went out with the
lights and the camera here, youshowed me a graphic.
Let me see that for a secondhere.
I don't know if they can see ithere on the camera or not, but
it says the most expensivevehicle to operate in 2025.
It's a shopping cart, it's agrocery cart.
Yeah, true, and it continues togrow up.
(15:01):
That is, that's very effectiveright there.
Yeah, that's.
That's.
You know what it's all aboutyou, kate, and your IFC team.
What keeps you inspired andgrounded when the needs get
overwhelming.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
I think it's the people that we serve.
I mean I, you know, sometimesit gets to be like, oh my gosh,
are we really making adifference?
Oh, we have all these things.
I mean it's heavy stuff thatwe're doing, heavy things that
we're carrying.
Most of the people that areworking with me are my age and
so you know we're doing itbecause we really believe in it,
and just the people that comeand get the food are so grateful
.
And we also are starting toserve some schools.
(15:38):
Schools are setting up littlepantries in their you know areas
, some of the social workers andsaying you know, I'm going to
feed the kids on the weekendswhen they don't have food, and
they'll gather some foodtogether, get backpacks.
And because they have to put itin backpacks, because the kids
get bullied if they're takingfood.
Speaker 1 (15:56):
So, you know, it's some of those things that we're
trying to work with what you'resaying kind of tells me one
thing that, as much as you liketo see this go away and never,
never be an issue, it's alwaysgoing to be an issue, for a
little while at least, for sometime to come.
And now we're into the schoolsmaking sure these kids get fed
as well.
(16:16):
Right, exactly, if you couldcommunicate one thing to the
public or those watching orlistening to this about food
insecurity in Syracuse andCentral New York, what would
that be?
Speaker 2 (16:30):
Well, you know, it's hard because we see it like
daily I get calls or I'm seeingthe folks from the pantries come
and hearing the stories, fromthe pantries come and hearing
the stories, and I was talkingto somebody yesterday that was
working with someone that washomeless, put up in one of the
hotels in Syracuse, thenreleased from the hotel, put
into an apartment, but thenthere were no services anymore
(16:52):
for her, so and she was pregnantand you know, just, the stories
just go on and on and it's justhard to communicate how, just a
little bit of things, ifsomeone just went and got a bag
of food or whatever, how muchthat impact will be, wow, wow
any final thoughts?
Speaker 1 (17:10):
I know you like my questions I love your questions.
Speaker 2 (17:12):
It's like I was doing very thorough.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
producer steve was like yeah, you did your homework
right.
I said I did my homework but,like I said in the beginning,
this is educational to me aswell, because this is one of
those organizations where wedon't hear a lot about and we
need to hear about it a lot more.
So it's our effort of gettingit out there and hopefully those
watching this and thoselistening will definitely look
(17:36):
into it a little bit further.
But any final thoughts orstories you'd like to share
about the people you've met orlives that you've seen changed
through the IFC's work, yeah,Boy there's a lot of stories.
Is there one that sticks out inyour?
Speaker 2 (17:57):
mind.
There's too many, there's somany, so many.
You know people, just a lot ofemergency situations that I wish
I could deal with more.
I try to at least give someoneanother number to call or
someplace else to get themhooked up with someone, because
you know a lot of times thefolks that are in these
situations, they're on differentfood stamps, they're on this,
you know this program and theyhave all these calls and they
(18:18):
have all these things to youknow do and they have all these
calls and they have all thesethings to do.
So I like to try to have peopleavoid doing some of that and
help them as quickly as I canwith some resources.
So I've been trying to reallygain knowledge of what's out
there for people.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
I know we're running short on time here, but quickly,
with everything that's going on, with all these cuts and all
that, is that affecting what youdo?
Yes, I know prices are going upon groceries, but can we talk
about that a little bit?
Speaker 2 (18:44):
Well, prices are going up and their food stamps,
et cetera, are going down.
Speaker 1 (18:52):
So that just makes it faster.
Would that be like the SNAPbenefits?
Speaker 2 (18:53):
SNAP, food stamps, all the different programs are
being cut or reduced and so thatjust causes the panic for
people.
You know the social securityissues that you know the
different, the Medicaid,medicare, that all impacts the
folks that we deal with becauseyou know they're just in this
maze of trying to figure out howto, you know, make ends meet.
(19:14):
And then you know landlords andyou know people have to pay
their rents and get evicted.
I mean, I just hear a lot ofstories so you know, but food is
the basic and a lot of themhave children and it's just
really important.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
So that would be all the more reason, if you're
listening or watching this, togo to the website ifccnyorg and
donate Correct, I mean just, weall see what's going on around
us in the world nowadays, but weneed to help those in need.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
Right, and a lot of that's being taken away.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
Yes, and if people want to call and want to do a
food drive, I can provideposters and kind of ideas as to
how to get one going real quickbefore we say goodbye, empty
bowls, october 3rd.
I'll read it off, right here,at the Nancy Cantor Warehouse,
which is 350 West Fayette StreetHundreds of bowls and it sounds
like it's just a lot of fun.
(20:06):
Bread provided by Postabilitiestoo.
Speaker 2 (20:09):
Oh, I can't forget that.
Yes, that's a biggie.
Wow, you talk aboutPostabilities.
That was totally cut back on mybread, and they do soup too.
Bread and soup.
Speaker 1 (20:18):
Nice and jump online.
I'm sure you can get all thatinformation.
Ifcnyorg, we've been chattingwith Kate Artesa, the executive
director of the InterreligiousFood Consortium of CNY.
I want to say first of all, kate, thank you so much for spending
a few minutes this morning tocome in and educate me, and
hopefully our viewers andlisteners, about what the
(20:40):
Interreligious Food Consortiumis all about.
I want to say thanks forlistening to the Inner Harbor
cast.
This is where I say communitymeets conversation and if you
enjoyed today's episode, be sureto subscribe, share, stay
connected.
Ifccnyorg is their website.
Until next time, my name isSkip Clark.
Thank you so much for watching.
Thank you to Kate.
(21:00):
Take care and let's keeplifting Syracuse.
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