Open Arms, Full Pantry

Bishop Carl Clark warmly welcomes all who enter Open Arms Ministry on the North Side of Syracuse. Inside the church’s historic building, visitors are greeted by a peaceful sanctuary with vaulted ceilings, stained glass windows, and smooth wooden pews.



Open Arms is an active ministry that extends far beyond Sunday services. The church hosts a food pantry that serves the surrounding neighborhood. During the pandemic, Open Arms partnered with InterFaith Works, becoming one of the thirty-four grassroots pantries supported by the El Hindi Center for Dialogue & Action’s Food Justice Program. InterFaith Works organizes food deliveries and food drives for its network pantries, provides administrative support, prepares grant applications, collects donations, and ensures the pantries have access to culturally appropriate food and fresh produce. Read More...

The Nature of Friendship

Patrick is a lively Veteran who lives at a nursing home on the North Side of Syracuse. Growing up on a farm in the Adirondacks, Patrick developed a deep love for nature. After serving in the Marine Corps, he spent most of his life as a farmhand, raising various animals from chickens to pigs and traveling to rural areas around the country. Patrick is happiest outdoors and is more active than most residents at his nursing home, often taking long walks and enjoying the facility's small outdoor green spaces.

When Patrick first arrived at Sedgewick Heights Assisted Living Facility, each day seemed much like the last. That changed when he joined InterFaith Work’s One-to-One Program, part of our agency’s Center for Healthy Aging. This program pairs volunteers with nursing home residents who don't have regular visitors, fostering joy and social connection through regular friendly visits. Read More...

Bright Future

Originally from Sudan, John arrived in Syracuse in 2021 from the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya. Raised by his aunts, John lost his mother at age four and never knew his father. His uncle became his guardian, and together with his uncle and two older brothers, John traveled to Syracuse through the U.S. Refugee Assistance Program. The entire family was assigned to InterFaith Works for resettlement.



“InterFaith Works picked us up at the airport and found us an apartment where we still live. They helped us with everything we needed, including my school supplies,” John recalls.

John had attended school at the refugee camp, but he did not learn much because each classroom had more than 100 students. “Each day we were just waiting for the classes to end.” Read More...

Family and Freedom

Originally from a small town in Ukraine, Nataliia came to Syracuse in 2017, joining many family members who resettled here. Nataliia was a lawyer in Ukraine but felt life was limited. She says: “I came because there are so many opportunities here. And freedom.”

InterFaith Works managed all Nataliia’s resettlement needs, from finding her housing to securing her a social security card to enrolling her in a medical insurance plan.



InterFaith Works also helped when her mother got very sick, supporting her through InterFaith Works’ Intensive Case Management program. “InterFaith Works arranged doctor appointments and for volunteers to drive us to SUNY Upstate and St. Joseph’s Hospital.” Read More...

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