To every neighbor who filled out our survey, stopped by an open house, joined us at the summer kickoff, talked with us at a tabling event, sat down for a kitchen table talk, or presented as a guest at June’s Southside TNT meeting: the South Side Growth team is grateful for your engagement. As the seasons shift, I wanted to take a moment to look back on how we connected with you and continued to build out our work over the past few months.
Investing in Our Neighbors
This summer, investing in our neighbors meant more than writing checks. It included supporting the gatherings neighbors were already building, hosting a few of our own, and showing up again and again to listen.
We were proud to sponsor two community events that reflect exactly the kind of neighbor-led work we love to see. In July, we contributed $250 to Southern Missionary Baptist Church’s Community BBQ. On August 29, we contributed $1,000 to the Black Maternal Health Summit, hosted by the Black Maternal Health Committee. Both events brought neighbors together around health, connection, and community care, and we’re glad to have played a small part in them.
Beyond our sponsorships, we spent July and August out in the neighborhood, doing our best to show up wherever neighbors were gathering. Here’s a look at where we were:
Summer Kickoff: Our community social done alongside our trusted partners gave neighbors a place to connect and pick up summer essentials, including swimsuits, outdoor recreational items and play kits, towels, and sunscreen. Nearly 400 residents joined us, and every last resource was distributed by the end of the event.
Rahma Clinic Community Health Fair: Hosted outside Rahma Clinic, the fair gave residents a chance to gather information from local organizations at their tables and take advantage of free walk-in check-ups inside the clinic. We were glad to table alongside them.
Resident-Led Kitchen Table Talk: A resident within our footprint opened their backyard for a small, relaxed conversation about what the community needs and wants. This intimate conversation is exactly the type of communication we hope that other neighbors will feel comfortable enough with us to take part in,, and we’re grateful to everyone who joined. If you would like to learn more about hosting a Kitchen Table Talk please contact our Community Engagement Manager Sarhia at sarhia@southsidegrowth.org.
Jazz in the City at Valley Plaza: Jazz in the City brings live jazz directly to city neighborhoods, using arts and culture as a mobile platform to highlight public health disparities. We tabled and enjoyed talking with dozens of neighbors. We’re especially grateful for the neighbors who trusted us enough to share their contact information and join our listserv so they can be notified when we have opportunities for residents to come together or be served by South Side Growth. If you want to join the listserv, please reach out to Sarhia for this as well.
Mary Nelson Center Backpack Giveaway: This annual Southside staple event celebrated students before the start of the school year, with school supplies like stationery, backpacks, and lunch pals for every student. Shout out to all the young ladies who took the time to tell us what their interests were and what they wanted to see in our new center—we won’t forget what you shared!.
Learning from Pittsburgh
In September, our Housing & Community Development Director Danchell and I traveled to Pittsburgh to attend the Center for Community Progress’ Reclaiming Vacant Properties (RVP) conference, and it was one of the most valuable and insightful learning experiences we’ve had as an organization.
We spent time with like-minded organizations and community groups who are doing this work in their own neighborhoods and toured newly built modular homes, landbank homes slated for renovation, and rehabs led by community development organizations across the city.
Seeing what’s possible firsthand helped us imagine what we can build together with you here on the Southside.
Looking Ahead
I’ll be serving as a keynote speaker at Syracuse-Onondaga Food Systems Alliance’s (SOFSA) Food Justice Gathering event on October 17, and I’m looking forward to using that platform to uplift issues affecting Southside residents and empowering attendees to activate towards systems change that will address those issues.
The team and I are also excited to invite you to join us in celebrating the season at our Trunk-or-Treat on Saturday, October 24 from 1-4p.m. The event promises an afternoon of Halloween fun, treats, and community connection with your Southside neighbors and will be held outside the South Side Campus Community Center at 100 Edmund Ave.
We’ll have pumpkin buckets for the kids to collect their goodies, hot cocoa, coffee, cider and donuts—and of course—information on critical resources that may be helpful to you as we approach election season, changing weather, and the holidays. We’ll also be raffling off a few $50 visa gift cards (must arrive before 3 p.m. drawing to win). Please contact Sarhia if you’d like to participate by decorating a trunk and handing out treats!
As we head into the final months of the year, I continue to feel blessed to be in community with each and every one of you, and for how you’ve welcomed myself and my team with warmth. We’ve truly enjoyed every conversation we’ve had while out walking the neighborhood and hosting or participating in neighborhood events. We even appreciate the opportunity to introduce ourselves when we get asked “who are y’all and what are y’all doing over here?” It’s one of our favorite questions to answer!
Thank you for trusting us, for sharing your voice with us, and helping us shape our direction as a new organization meant to work with and not for you. The team and I look forward to seeing you at Trunk-or-Treat, and to continue growing our relationships with you in the months and years to come.
With gratitude,
Deka Eysaman
Executive Director
South Side Community Growth Foundation