Making a House a Home

Our Warehouse and Housing Team works tirelessly to identify quality housing in Syracuse, settling 1,015 refugees in 2024. Our staff and volunteers secure donations and work long days and weekends to ensure that when refugees arrive from the airport, they find a welcoming home with everything they need, from new beds and clean towels and linens to a refrigerator stocked with culturally appropriate food.

"InterFaith Works changed our lives forever. There are so many things that we owe to InterFaith. We came from a dangerous place. This is a different world. We are safe here." - Carlos Linarez Alvarez, refugee from Venezuela, arrived in July 2024

“InterFaith provided us a home, items like tables and furniture, food, cleaning supplies. We are grateful for everything the agency has done for us. I think God used InterFaith Works to help us arrive in the United States. I prayed when we thought we would have to travel through the forest. I prayed to God to help us arrive to the United States in a safe way. After one week, we received notice that we were approved and were settled here in the United States through InterFaith Works." - Omaira Rojas de Linarez, refugee from Venezuela, arrived in July 2024

The Pathway to Citizenship

In our Path to Citizenship program, our instructors and legal staff support refugees and immigrants through classes, mock interviews and legal support, all provided free of charge. To date, we have supported 157 participants in receiving their US citizenship since starting the program.

“People are coming here to change their lives. They really want to improve and be integrated within our culture. They want to be able to get jobs. They want to feel secure and free within the borders of the United States. We provide instruction that allows people to achieve these goals.” - Doug Randall, InterFaith Works Instructor in the Path to Citizenship program

“It’s not easy when you come into this country as a refugee. I had zero experience, and InterFaith Works helped me find the way. I took a class, came here, studied and filled out the application. It took time, over a year, but I’m a citizen now. I know my rights in this country.” - Justine Bora, InterFaith Works client, refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo, arrived in March 2016

Planting Seeds of Peace

Seeds of Peace, a program of our El-Hindi Center for Dialogue & Action, provides high school students with skills to become courageous leaders who work together, despite differences, to create bridges of understanding in all five high schools in the Syracuse City School District.

"Seeds is a great opportunity to learn the difference between dialogue and debate. I think a lot of the things we see in our society are all about debate. You can always disagree, but you have to do it respectfully. I think it’s important to have those skills, and Seeds of Peace teaches those skills.” - Hanan Muse, Youth Dialogue Coordinator, Center for Dialogue & Action (resettled by InterFaith Works from Somalia in 2012)

“I would say, if anyone is scared to join programs like Seeds of Peace, you shouldn’t be. All of these people are so amazing and so accepting. They want nothing but the best for you. They are always there to make sure you’re safe and make sure your voice is heard in your community.” - Neisa Campany, Seeds of Peace participant, student at Institute of Technology at Syracuse Central

Refreshing the Mind, Body, and Soul

In addition to the hundreds of elders who are provided companionship each year, our Center for Healthy Aging is building a new respite care program in the City of Syracuse focused on refreshing and recharging caregivers. We are partnering with Victory Temple Fellowship Church to serve the entire community and offer enrichment opportunities for both caregivers and those in need of care.

“My vision is to help caregivers. Within my community, people don’t ask for help, especially when managing loved ones with dementia. We’re taught to handle it. You don’t have to struggle to do this alone. There’s a community here that can help you.” - Serena K. Jackson, Assistant Director of Volunteer Programs, Center for Healthy Aging

“Caregivers need to know that it is okay to share the burden. This program will remove the barriers and create a healthy and safe space for people to do this.”

- Bishop Dr. H. Bernard Alex, Victory Temple Fellowship Church