Sycamore Collaborative

Sycamore Collaborative received ceremonial checks from Assemblymember Phil Steck yesterday! Assemblymember Steck has secured $150,000 in grant funding, greatly assisting us with warehouse renovations, operational expenses, and community services.

"Since the pandemic, many food relief organizations have found sustainability in partnerships..." - Sycamore Collaborative Exec. Director Rev. Amaury Tañón-Santos

We are incredibly grateful for Assemblymember Steck’s ongoing support for us and the people of Schenectady. Together, we can uphold our commitment to the community through collaborative work!

Summer Meals site update! This Friday, August 16, will be the last lunch service for three Summer Meals sites.

Sites closing are:
Guyanese Community Center, 1218 Sixth Ave
Girls Inc., 962 Albany St
Messiah Lutheran Church, 2850 Guilderland Ave

For more information and to see what site near you is still open,
🔗 https://sycamorecollab.org/summer-meals

Join RISSE tomorrow for an evening surrounding health and wellness! Welcoming Wellbeing: Community Health Resource Fair is a health resource and information day for immigrants and refugees hosted at our food pantry!

When?: Thursday, August 15th from 3:30 pm – 5:30 pm
Where?: 839 Albany Street, Schenectady, NY, 12307

For more information about the Health Resource Fair,
🔗 https://sycamorecollab.org/your-community
📲 [email protected]

Mustard's Retreat has serenaded us with the tunes they love for decades. Their music is a testament to authenticity, bringing joy and connection to audiences as if they were family. With over a million miles traveled and 6,000 shows under their belts, their songs remain “music to cure what ails you.”

The benefit concert will be held on Saturday, September 7th, at 7 pm, inside the beautiful St. Stephen's Episcopal Church - Schenectady, NY!

For more information, to add the event to your calendar, or to get directions:
🔗 https://sycamorecollab.org/events

Join Sycamore Collaborative and RISSE for an evening surrounding health and wellness! Welcoming Wellbeing: Community Health Resource Fair is a health resource and information day for immigrants and refugees hosted at our food pantry!

RISSE was founded in 2007 to support refugees from the Congo with housing, employment, resources, and education. The organization's early success was due to volunteers, including immigrants and members of the Emmaus United Methodist Church in Albany. RISSE has grown into a community development center and is now partnered with USCRI.

For more information about the Health Resource Fair,
🔗 https://sycamorecollab.org/your-community
📲 [email protected]

Presented by RISSE

Join us for a day of community, health, and support!

Presented by RISSE, the Welcoming Wellbeing: Community Health Resource Fair is a health resource and information day for immigrants and refugees. Community partners will offer free blood pressure tests, victim support, grief counseling, fresh produce, personal care products, and more! Let’s build a healthier community for everyone!

For more information,
🔗 https://sycamorecollab.org/your-community
📲 [email protected]

Heat Advisory Today!

Summer Meal sites will still operate at their announced times. Children and youth participating in the program TODAY can receive a meal and take it to-go! Parents are also encouraged to come and pick meals for the children and youth in their households.

For more information or to find a site near you,
🔗 https://sycamorecollab.org/summer-meals
📲 Text "FOOD" to 304-304

UPDATE! There will be no Ellis Medicine Walk-In Clinic this Friday, August 2nd. The next clinic date is August 16th!

To view the schedule and explore other programs in the Community Hub:
🔗 https://sycamorecollab.org/your-community

Meet Melissa!

Melissa has been involved with the Schenectady Urban Farms program for close to 10 years. As our Farm Outreach Coordinator, she has brought together many community members for educational and enjoyable activities. Melissa is a warm and welcoming presence for all community members, the Sycamore Collaborative team, and, of course, the farm chickens!

Read more about Melissa and her achievements while at Sycamore Collaborative and the Urban Farms!

Thank you to the Liberty Partnerships Program for their help at our Vale Urban Farm! Students and mentors from LPPSCCC helped Farmer Tatyanna with weeding and turning garden beds, met the chickens with Farmer Yarold, and shared in the harvest. Some even got a lesson from Farmer Leah on “Lamb’s Ear", a plant that feels like wool! We are committed to collaborating with community organizations and truly appreciate your volunteer efforts and support!

For more info about volunteering and our Urban Farms,
🔗 https://sycamorecollab.org/your-farms
🔗 https://sycamorecollab.org/volunteer

🌟 Join us at the Schenectady County Food Council July Meeting! 🌟

📅 Date: July 31st, 2024
🕠 Time: 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm
📍 Location: Karen B. Johnson Library, 99 Clinton St, Schenectady, NY 12305

Discover "Food Assistance 101: Essential Tips & Resources" and learn about governmental food assistance programs, eligibility, application tips, and more to stretch your grocery budget and support our community! Whether you're an individual, household, or community worker, this workshop is for you. Light snacks and refreshments are provided!

Let's empower our community together! 💪✨

With the help of Yarold, our Compost Coordinator and Research Associate, we are able to share insights into the importance of food pantries! Read on to find out how food pantries make a positive impact on the community and the environment!

Free fall festivities are coming your way! Check out these photos from our Fall Fest in 2022 and save the date for this year’s fest- Sunday, September 8th, from noon to 3 pm at Sycamore Collaborative. 🍂

For more information or to add the event to your calendar:
🔗 https://sycamorecollab.org/events

St. Joseph's Place will be closed today. We are sorry for any inconvenience. The sisters will be back on Wednesday, July 24th!

To view the schedule of the Sycamore Collaborative Community Hub:
🔗 https://sycamorecollab.org/your-community

Happy Friday!

Interested in making an impact in your community? Sign up to volunteer with Sycamore Collaborative today and join us in feeding and building up your Schenectady Community! 🫶🏽

To sign up for volunteering:
🔗 https://sycamorecollab.org/volunteer or
Text “volunteering” to 50155!
📲 Contact [email protected] or call 518-374-2683 x103 for more information!

Heat Advisory Today... Again!
The National Weather Service has issued a Heat Advisory for Schenectady and the Greater Capital Region. 🔥
To that effect, there are some adjustments for today's programs of the Sycamore Collaborative:

Summer Meals - https://sycamorecollab.org/summer-meals ☀️
The Summer Meal sites will operate at the announced times and sites.
TODAY it's Grab-and-Go!
Children and youth participating in the program TODAY will be able to receive a meal and take it home. Parents are also encouraged to come and pick meals for the children and youth in their households.

Urban Farms - https://sycamorecollab.org/your-farms 🌿
The Urban Farms will be open today until noon. Afternoon programs at the farms are canceled for the day.
Stay safe and cool!

Interested in making an impact in your community this summer? Sign up to volunteer with our Summer Meals program today and join us in feeding the future of Schenectady!

To sign up for volunteering,
🔗 https://sycamorecollab.org/volunteer
📲 Contact [email protected] or call 518-374-2683 x103 for more information!

It’s never too early to plan some fall fun! Our Friends n’ Farmers Fall Fest is coming your way – Sunday, September 8th, at Sycamore Collaborative. Save the date and stay tuned for more information! 🍂

Pearl's Closet has been postponed to next Saturday, 07/20. Come by then for some free clothing and household goods!

Pearl's Closet typically occurs every Tuesday and the 2nd Saturday of the month from 9 am to 12 pm outside our Community Hub. It will close for rain or bad weather.

For more information,
🔗 https://sycamorecollab.org/your-community

Last week, we got together as a community and kicked off our Summer Meals season! Thank you to our amazing community partners, the dedicated Sycamore Collaborative team, and the wonderful families of Schenectady for supporting our Summer Meals program and spreading the joy of summer! Together, we're fostering unity and providing free lunches to ensure all kids enjoy a nourishing summer. Let's make this season one to remember! 🧃☀

For more info about Summer Meals and to find a site near you,
🔗 https://sycamorecollab.org/summer-meals

The incredible speakers and organizations who joined us:
Schenectady City School District, Schenectady City Council, United Way of the Greater Capital Region, Schenectady County Legislature, Angelo Santabarbara, MVP Health Care, Schenectady County Food Council, The MoonCatcher Project, Create Community Studios, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Schenectady County, The Food Pantries for the Capital District, Schenectady County Office of the Public Defender, Fidelis Care, The Schenectady PD, and Schenectady Firefighters

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness were the inalienable rights that undergirded the Declaration of Independence of what was to become the United States of America. These rights, the declaration says, were granted by the Creator. All people being created equal continues to be one of the greatest challenges of the American democratic experiment. As many throughout the nation take a pause this holiday, let us remember the aspirations that inspired the pursuit of independence and recommit our efforts to ensure justice, freedom, and well-being are a reality for all.

Happy Independence Day!

The First Day of Summer Meals is today with 5 sites across Schenectady opening!

These sites include:

Southgate Apartments from 11:15-12:30 pm – 105 Frank St, 12304

Schenectady Public Library from 11:30-12:45 pm – 99 Clinton St, 12305

Messiah Lutheran Church from 11:30-12:45 pm – 2850 Guilderland Ave, 12306

Jerry Burrell Park from 11:45-1:00 pm – 753 Hamilton St, 12309

Sycamore Collaborative Campus from 12:00-1:15 pm – 837 Albany St, 12307

Next week, 6 more sites will be opening! See the next photos for the overview of each of the sites with their locations and times. Reminder, you can text “FOOD” to 304-304 to find a site near you!

It’s not too late to join our Summer Meals Volunteers team! It doesn’t have to be all summer! If you’re interested, contact Cali at [email protected] to coordinate.

Sycamore Collaborative kicks off Summer Meals Program For nearly 30 years, Sycamore Collaborative has provided free meals to youth ages 18 and younger in order to combat food insecurity from July 1 to Aug. 30, when school is not in session. Last summer, over 13,000 free meals were given out, and the goal for this summer is to hand out over 14,000.

The 2024 Schenectady Summer Meals season starts tomorrow with five sites! Six more sites will open on the eighth. Visit each page for our site map and schedule or text "FOOD" to 304-304 to find a site near you! ☀️

How Can I Support Summer Meals?
Volunteer for Summer Meals! It doesn’t have to be a program-long commitment!
✉️ [email protected]
Donate to provide delicious and nutritious meals to children in your community!
🧡 sycamorecollab.org/donate

Or visit the links in our bio!

Tomorrow, we are kicking off the Summer Meals season! Come eat delicious foods, learn about other community programs, and play Kick-Off Bingo for a chance to win a gift basket!

Summer Meals Kick-Off is at Jerry Burrell Park (the corner of Schenectady and Hamilton Street) from noon to 3 pm!

Want to help your community this summer? Volunteer with our Summer Meals program!
🔗 https://sycamorecollab.org/summer-meals
📲 You can also contact [email protected] or call 518-374-2683 x103 for more information!

All Sycamore Collaborative programs will be closed on Thursday, July 4th in observance of Independence Day.

Meet Patrick!

Patrick has been our Warehouse Coordinator for over two years and continues to be a supportive and valued member of our team. Always willing to lend a helping hand, you can find Patrick picking up donations from local retail stores and directing volunteers to accomplish warehouse-related tasks. Read more about Patrick and his achievements while at Sycamore Collaborative!

Thank you, Patrick, for all you do!

Summer has arrived, and it's almost time to celebrate with fun, sun, and community! Our Summer Meals Kick-Off is next Friday, June 28th, from 12 to 3 at Jerry Burrell Park (the corner of Schenectady and Hamilton Street). Our incredible community partners will bring you free food, fun games, and other activities! So, get your friends and family together; we hope to see you there!

Want to help your community this summer? Volunteer with our Summer Meals program!
🔗 https://sycamorecollab.org/summer-meals
📲 You can also contact [email protected] or call 518-374-2683 x103 for more information!