Nourish Syracuse

09/10/2025

🌱 Harvesting Change Workshop 🌱
📍 Cafe Sankofa Cooperative
🗓️ Saturday, October 25 | 11 AM – 1 PM

Be part of a movement that’s about reclaiming our health, neighborhoods, and power. Together, we’ll explore the current state of urban agriculture in Syracuse and dive into how the “Big Beautiful Bill” is reshaping healthcare in New York State. Most importantly, we’ll talk about how embracing Food as Medicine can help lessen the impact of this legislation on our communities, making wellness something we grow for ourselves.

Sign Up Here: https://forms.gle/wPe5RYw9s3H5UWnH6

✨ What to expect:
✔️ Free giveaways and refreshments
✔️ Group discussions that surface real issues and shape real solutions
✔️ A chance to share your voice and help guide the future of food justice in Syracuse
✔️ Meet new people, whether you’re curious, concerned, or just looking for something meaningful

This event is free and open to the community — whether you’re curious, concerned, or simply looking for something meaningful, this is your space to learn, connect, and grow.

Hosted by Nourish Syracuse and The Healthcare Project
Made possible with support from: Central New York Community Foundation Golden Carat Farms and Excellus BlueCross BlueShield.

17/09/2025

Do you want to learn how to grow your own food?!?

We want to hear from you! Taking our Urban Ag Survey helps guide our programming so we can meet the real wants and needs of our community. 💚

Plus, don’t forget to sign up for one of our Harvesting Change Workshops — a space to learn hands on growing skills and discover how to use food as medicine to support your health when you are not feeling your best.

👉🏾 Take our Survey: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeU11xQ8fj8w5eiUajAnouEwnKA3CzMJ1cKarQ9tMt-nWjvag/viewform

16/09/2025

🌱 Sow and Grow Scholars: Cultivating Youth, Community, and Change 🌱

This summer, our Sow and Grow Scholars learned what it means to plant, nurture, and grow — not just herbs and vegetables, but responsibility, confidence, and community. From caring for their own plants to visiting Brady Farm for their first look at an urban farm, our students discovered that food is medicine and growing is power.

We’re excited to share the full story on our blog! Read more here: https://nourishsyracuse.com/green-city-chronicles/f/sow-and-grow-summer-cultivating-youth-community-and-change

A special thank you to the Central New York Community Foundation for sponsoring this program and helping us plant the seeds of change. 🌿

14/09/2025

Nourish Syracuse in the Spotlight!

We’re proud to share that our very own Charles Madlock and the work of Nourish Syracuse have been featured as part of Trailblazers & Trendsetters — highlighting the movement to grow food, knowledge, and community right here in Syracuse.

🎥 Watch the feature here: https://youtu.be/gydBUWLUTcg

📰 Read the full story: https://www.thisiscny.com/living/2025/08/syracuses-charles-madlock-is-growing-an-urban-agriculture-movement-trailblazers-trendsetters.html?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=likeshopme&utm_content=www.instagram.com/reel/DN-rUJ-krFX

This recognition is about more than one person — it’s about a community coming together to tackle food insecurity, empower youth, and reclaim our health through urban agriculture. 💚

Join the movement. Grow with us. 🌿

With a vision he hopes to replicate in other cities, Charles Madlock advocates for farming and urban agriculture to uplift the Black community.

14/09/2025

This summer we launched Backyard Bloomers as a pilot with one family, bringing a raised bed garden right to their home. With a standard size 4x8 bed, soil, compost, and plants, they grew fresh herbs, greens, peppers, and tomatoes. We even built a trellis to take advantage of vertical growing techniques, showing how small spaces can produce big results. 🍅🌿

Starting small gave us the chance to learn, grow, and see the impact up close. Now we’re ready to expand next summer so more families can turn their backyards into spaces of health, learning, and joy.

Check out our blog post to read the full story and see how we’re planting roots of community and resilience. --> https://nourishsyracuse.com/green-city-chronicles/f/backyard-bloomers-growing-right-at-home

26/03/2025

In rural New York, even some Republicans are frustrated as the administration halts $186 million in conservation payments to farmers.

25/03/2025

Look at what we've grown! Our scholars were shocked and amazed to see how well their seeds sprouted in the grow tent. From tiny seeds to thriving plants-this hands-on experience is showing them the power of patience, care, and nature!We're growing tomatoes, cucumbers, and lettuce—the simple ingredients for fresh salads. And guess what? The kids are already planning to make their own pickles with the cucumbers!Sow & Grow Scholars is a success-and we're just getting started! Stay tuned for more growth!

31/01/2025

We’re honored to be featured in the Gifford Foundation’s Winter 2025 Newsletter!

Nourish Syracuse is all about building a more just and resilient local food system—one that supports urban farmers, connects communities to fresh, healthy food, and invests in the next generation through programs like the Sow and Grow Scholar Program. We’re grateful to the The Gifford Foundation for recognizing our work and sharing our story!

Thank you to our community, our partners, and everyone who supports this mission. Together, we’re growing something powerful! 🌍💚

Check out the article to learn more about how we’re cultivating change in Syracuse.

Nourish Syracuse: Cultivating Change by Kristin Sheehan | News, Uncategorized Published January, 2025 According to the Food Bank of Central New York, nearly 180,000 people in their 11-county service area are food insecure. That’s 180,000 people who—by the US Department of Agriculture’s measure...

24/12/2024

SNAP is the cornerstone of the nation’s federal nutrition programs, providing approximately 40 million people in the U.S. with monthly food benefits via an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card.

In federal fiscal year 2020:
- 41% of SNAP participants were children; 16% were 60 or older; and 12% were adults with disabilities under 60.

Most people receiving SNAP benefits who can work, do work. In federal fiscal year 2020:
- Nearly one-quarter (25%) of households receiving SNAP benefits had income from earnings.
- Nearly half (48%) of households with children had earned income.
- 5% of households that included adults over 60 had earned income.
- Every dollar of SNAP benefits spent helps generate $1.50 in economic activity during periods of economic decline.

As the percentage of U.S. households with adults over 60 has increased, so has the number of households that receive benefits from Social Security. Many older adults turn to SNAP to help ensure they can afford food and other necessities while living on fixed Social Security budgets. In federal fiscal year 2019, 31% of households receiving SNAP benefits also received income from Social Security.

Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) encouraged incoming lawmakers to support more farmer aid in future bills considered by Congress. “It took a last second vote for us to give farmers a lifeline after l…

10/12/2024

🌍 Exploring Global Food Culture at Slow Food's Terra Madre 🌱

Earlier this year, our Urban Agriculture Consultant, Madlock, traveled to Turin, Italy, as a U.S. delegate to attend Slow Food’s Terra Madre Salone del Gusto. This international festival celebrates sustainable food practices, cultural traditions, and the global community’s role in shaping a healthier food system. From panel discussions on food and politics to tasting dishes from around the world, this event inspired our mission at Nourish Syracuse.

One major takeaway? The importance of connecting global ideas to local action. We're applying lessons learned to our Sow and Grow Scholar Program at McKinley-Brighton Elementary. Using Slow Food USA’s Clean School Garden Curriculum, we’re creating a garden that fosters problem-solving, curiosity, and connection. This garden will feature raised beds, a seating area, compost bins, and more, offering students a hands-on opportunity to grow food and grow together.

Read more about Madlock's experience and how we’re bringing these global insights home to Syracuse:

https://nourishsyracuse.com/green-city-chronicles/f/terra-madre-salone-del-gusto-2024

10/12/2024

Supporting Small Farmers Starts Here!

This awesome supporter earned our “Support Small Farmers” T-shirt by filling out our Urban Agriculture Survey at the Syracuse City School District’s (SCSD) School Wellness Resource Fair! 🎉

We had a fantastic time connecting with the community, introducing urban agriculture, and sharing how local food systems can make Syracuse healthier and more sustainable.

Want to support small farmers and make your voice heard? Take our Urban Agriculture Survey today!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1yW5rrZEw0SpuouU3X8acTd-SR5oy2afdXrtsiakOSpg/

03/12/2024

🌱 What is Urban Agriculture? 🌱

Have you ever wondered how growing food in cities impacts our health, local economy, and environment? Urban agriculture is about more than just gardens; it's about creating sustainable food systems, building community connections, and empowering people to grow their own food—even in small spaces!

Check out our latest blog post to learn about the benefits of urban agriculture, the practices making it possible, and how it ties into a healthier, more resilient Syracuse.

🌟 Read the full post here: https://nourishsyracuse.com/green-city-chronicles/f/what-is-urban-agriculture

Let's grow together and transform our city!

Urban agriculture is the practice of growing food in or around urban areas, transforming vacant lots, rooftops, and backyards into spaces for cultivating crops, raising livestock, and fostering sustainable food systems. ...