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The Syracuse-Onondaga Food Systems Alliance is a network of food system advocates dedicated to food justice.

At SOFSA, we’re working to build a food system that’s connected, fair, and welcoming to everyone. Together, we believe we can create a better, more just food system for all the people of Syracuse, Onondaga County, and the Onondaga Nation.

We Believe Food Holds Power

The power to heal, the power to restore, the power to create thriving, healthy communities.

Our food system includes everything from how food is grown and shared to how it's eaten and the waste is handled. It’s shaped by things like money, politics, culture, and the environment itself.

 

When a food system works well, it gives everyone access to healthy food, supports local jobs and businesses, and takes care of the planet.

 

A strong food system helps build a happier, healthier world for us all.

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Ensuring each corner of our food system thrives, so we ALL thrive

When we say "food system," what we’re referring to is the processes – and the people behind them – that grow food and get it to your table. 

Here’s how we’re working to create a better food future for our community:

Advocacy & Civic Engagement

We help our community speak up, show up, and shape the policies that impact our food system. From voter guides to forums to advocacy days, we make sure local voices are heard.

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Food Justice Fund

Through the Food Justice Fund, we support grassroots projects like community gardens, food access programs, and local farms. Funding decisions are made by the community.

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Food Justice Gathering

Each year, we bring together growers, organizers, and eaters for a day of learning, sharing, and celebration. This is where connection and collaboration take root.

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Working Groups

We bring people together around shared priorities like Urban Agriculture, Health and Environmental Justice, and Farm to School. These groups guide our collective work.

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Leadership Pathways

We offer paid and volunteer leadership opportunities. Fellows, community connectors, and grantmaking council members all help lead food justice efforts across our region.

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Community Listening

We begin with listening. Every part of our work is shaped by conversations with the people most impacted by food system challenges.

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Hear 

from those growing a better food future and share your own story with us.

SOFSA’s story is told through the people who make it possible. From neighborhood gardens to food justice campaigns, our work is shaped by the leaders and organizations we support.

SOFSA volunteers and members at a political rally fighting for food justice
Volunteers maintain a garden of food for their community
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Get Involved

If you eat, grow, or just plain love food in Syracuse, Onondaga County, and Onondaga Nation, you are already a part of SOFSA. 

 

And we would love for you to become a larger part of our community!

 

Whether you're ready to roll up your sleeves or are just looking to learn more about our work, we have options for you.

Here are some ways you can get involved right now:

Donate

For those who want to support the mission through monetary or time-bound donations, every little bit adds up!

Join our Community

For those who want to help shape what this work looks like, sign up for our newsletter and join our working groups!

Community member provides a cooking demonstration of a dish from their culture

Thank you for everything, since the SOFSA conversation, I've spoken with Rachel from SCSD, Becky from [The Food Bank, he wrote OFRN], Janet from Cornell, Becky from the national sustainable ag coalition and the folks at Russo Produce. I'd never have been able to connect with them without your forum, and I learned so much from those conversations, so thank you.

County Legislator Mo Brown

April 18, 2025

The Food Justice Fund supports grassroots programs where passion and innovation intersect to help address needs that are often overlooked and even unknown to many. We are not only helping to make some of these projects come alive with financial support, but we are letting grantees know we believe in them and we are letting the community know we are committed to hearing them.

Amy Tao, 2024 Food Justice Fund Grantee and 2025 Food Justice Fund Leadership Council Member

April 24, 2025

The Food Justice Fund is everything that mutual aid should be: diverse perspectives and lived experiences, consent-based decision-making, and community building from the ground up. Everyone’s inherent value is recognized, and we all meet each other where we are at to be stronger and more equitable as a collective.

Katie Purcell, 2025 Food Justice Fund Leadership Council Member

April 24, 2025

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