About the IFC
About us…
The Interreligious Food Consortium (IFC) is a grassroots organization and a valuable resource in the extensive emergency food network serving the City of Syracuse and Onondaga County. We build relationships to address food insecurity in our community.
With the support of individual, corporate, and faith-based contributors, we receive financial support and collect and distribute thousands of pounds of donated food each year to our affiliated emergency food pantries and programs, free of charge.
Who and What is the IFC?
The Interreligious Food Consortium is a small not-for-profit initially formed in 1982 by six small University Hill churches to address food insecurity of members of their congregations. It grew to a consortium of over 70 pantries at its height in the early 2000’s. Currently we serve approximately 20-30 very small and under-resourced pantries and senior housing, as well as crisis response providers such as case managers, social workers and educators. Although smaller in numbers now due to church closings, consolidations, or pantries lack of volunteers, the IFC continues to make a difference to those we serve. In addition, we are a referral service assisting individuals in locating the nearest food pantry that serves their neighborhood. We also partner with Interfaith Works in addressing the unique needs of the refugee, immigrant and New American populations.
Proud to serve our community.
The IFC fields approximately 80+ calls, handles over two tons of non-perishable food items and a small amount of household and personal hygiene products, including baby and adult diapers a month . The majority of our food is donated, but items needed most, or in short supply, are purchased through donated funds.
The IFC relies solely on individual donations derived from:
Our decades long history and regular financial support from individuals, corporations, and faith-based organizations
Newsletters of which our Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter editions highlight our efforts and supporters.
Our annual Fundraiser “Empty Bowls” held in association with Syracuse University School of Art and Clayscapes.
Food Drives, of which our two largest and most consequential being the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and the USPS Food Drive. We welcome any group or agency willing to conduct a FOOD DRIVE for us!
We are unique and different from the Food Bank of CNY.
Someone recently illustrated the work we do and how we differentiate from the Food Bank by describing the Food Bank as a very large ship navigating the ocean waters of need in 11 counties while receiving Federal and State aid and vast amounts of donated food. The IFC, in contrast, is a very small boat able to navigate into the smaller rivers and tributaries mostly in the neediest neighborhoods of the City of Syracuse providing more direct and personal service to those not registering on the Food Bank’s radar. We think that is an apt description and complimentary to the work of the Food Bank, Soup Kitchens and others in the emergency food network.
New Feeding America Data on Food Insecurity – Key Takeaways:
100% of counties and congressional districts are home to people facing hunger
Child food insecurity also exists in every community, and rates reach nearly 50% in some counties
Nearly 50% of people facing hunger are unlikely to qualify for SNAP
Food insecurity among Black or Latino individuals is higher than white individuals in more than 9 out of 10 counties with comparable data
The national food budget shortfall swells to a record high of $33.1 billion, a 43% increase
The national average cost per meal rises to $3.99 in 2022 - Individuals who were food secure reported spending an average of $3.99 per meal, totaling $83.79 per week or $363.09 per month. Even after adjusting for annual average inflation, the national average cost per meal increased by nearly 3% compared to the previous year, reaching its highest point in the last two decades. To provide context, this reported amount is 1.6 times as high as the average individual cost of the Thrifty Food Plan ($52.70 per week or $228.50 per month as of December 2022), which serves as the basis for calculating the maximum SNAP benefit allotments by the USDA.