Kate Artessa, Executive Director of the Interreligious Food Consortium (IFC) of Central New York,

The shopping cart has become the most expensive vehicle to operate in 2025. This powerful statement from Kate Artessa, Executive Director of the Interreligious Food Consortium (IFC) of Central New York, captures the growing crisis of food insecurity in Syracuse and beyond as grocery prices soar while assistance programs face cuts.

Since 1982, the IFC has operated as what Artesa calls "a best-kept secret" in Syracuse, predating even the regional food bank. This grassroots organization focuses specifically on serving small, under-resourced food pantries that fall through the cracks of larger hunger relief systems. Each month, the IFC delivers between 300-700 pounds of food to over thirty local pantries, supporting communities with limited access to food resources. The impact is immediate and emotional – pantry directors often embrace Artessa and her team in gratitude, recognizing how these deliveries help them meet the growing needs of their communities.

Operating with a small but dedicated volunteer team, the IFC collects food donations, coordinates food drives, and carefully sorts and packages supplies for distribution. During COVID-19, they pivoted to become an emergency food resource, delivering directly to quarantined residents. Today, they've expanded their reach to support school pantries that discreetly provide weekend food for children through backpacks (to prevent bullying) and provide specialized nutrition products like Ensure for elderly residents in low-income housing.

The IFC's annual Empty Bowls fundraiser, scheduled for October 3rd at the Nancy Cantor Warehouse, exemplifies creative community engagement. Syracuse University's Visual Arts Department and local pottery studio Clayscapes create approximately 1,600 handcrafted ceramic bowls, which attendees purchase and fill with soup donated by sixteen local restaurants. Each bowl represents the organization's powerful mission that "no one should have an empty bowl."

Despite her tireless work, Artessa's ultimate hope reveals the heart behind the mission: "I would like to become extinct, because if I become extinct then that means everybody has food." Until that day arrives, support the IFC's crucial work by attending Empty Bowls, organizing a food drive, or donating directly through their website at ifccny.org. Together, we can ensure fewer bowls in Syracuse remain empty.

#foodinsecurity #syracuse