InterFaith Works of Central New York celebrates its 45th anniversary in 2021. Also:

• Center for New Americans/Refugee Resettlement program - 40th anniversary
• Senior Companion Program - 35th anniversary
• Ahmad & Elizabeth El-Hindi Center for Dialogue - 25th anniversary

In 1976, a formidable group of faith and civil rights leaders founded what was then known as the Syracuse Area Interreligious Council. The first order of business was to advance cross-racial understanding, a mission we continue to embody to this day.

As the agency grew and worked toward interreligious understanding (first among Jews, Catholics and Protestants, and then extending to other faiths), its name evolved to the Interreligious Council and then to InterFaith Works of Central New York, as it is known today.

Through the agency’s El-Hindi Center for Dialogue, InterFaith Works embraces diverse people and faith communities to address deeply embedded social divisions and to help the community find common ground. The agency’s social services programs – the Center for New Americans, Senior Services and Interfaith Initiatives – address the needs of and empower people who are vulnerable, low income and targets of oppression, including refugees and the elderly.

Although 45 years have passed since InterFaith Works’ founding, one thing has remained constant: the mission to affirm the dignity of each person and every faith community and to create relationships and understanding among us.

Agency Historical Timeline

1976 - Agency founded as the Syracuse Area Interreligious Council (SAIC); first Headquarters located at Temple Concord, 910 Madison Street, Syracuse. Rabbi Theodore Levy served as the first President, and Helen Jenks as the first Executive Director. The agency/organization was officially recognized on March 22, and the first day of official “in office” operations was on April 1 (PHOTO 1) (PHOTO 2)

1976 - Cabinet of Faith Leaders established; now called the Round Table of Faith Leaders

1977-1998 - Dorothy Rose served as the agency’s first permanent Executive Director (PHOTO)

1979 - Chaplaincies and Pastoral Care began; renamed the Spiritual Care program, which later became the Interfaith Initiatives program that was absorbed into the El-Hindi Center for Dialogue & Action; the Rev. Terry Culbertson served as the program’s first director (PHOTO)

1979 - Protestant Community Ministries of the Syracuse Area merges services and programs with the SAIC agency

1981 - Refugee Resettlement program began; Nona Stewart served as the first director (PHOTO)

1982 - Interreligious Food Consortium formed; evolved into what is now the Food Bank of CNY, branched off and established as a separate agency in 1986

1983 - First InterFaith Leadership Award Dinner event; Rhea Eckel Clark was the first honoree (PHOTO 1), (PHOTO 2) (PHOTO 3)

1986 - Senior Companion Program began operating locally; Kay Rupprecht served as the first director (PHOTO)

1990 - First Spiritual Care Day event is held

1991 - Agency rebrands and is renamed Interreligious Council of Central New York

1993 - Foundation of Interreligious Council of Central New York is formed to ensure the agency’s financial viability

1994 - Agency moved headquarters to 3049 East Genesee Street, Syracuse (office suites at the Jawonio School building)

1996 - Community Wide Dialogue program began; “to End Racism” was added to the official program title name in 1997

1998-2000 - Steven Scheeweiss and the Rev. Dr. Jon Regier served as agency interim directors

2000-2002 - Bob Hanson served as agency Executive Director

2001 - Co-organized city-wide 9/11 services in Clinton Square

2002-2009 - Dr. James Wiggins served as agency Executive Director

2003 - First annual Duck Race to End Racism event is held at the Syracuse Inner Harbor (PHOTO 1) (PHOTO 2) (PHOTO 3)

2007 - Agency rebrands and renamed InterFaith Works of Central New York (PHOTO)

2007 - First Racial Justice Awards held

2008 - First Interfaith Dinner Dialogues held (PHOTO)

2010 - Beth A. Broadway named agency President/CEO

2011 - First Interfaith Harmony Day event was held

2011 - The Post-Standard/Syracuse.com “Daily Inspiration” column began – now called “CNY Inspirations” Read the column entries HERE

2012 - The Board of Directors approves an ambitious long term strategic plan in August, in conjunction with a major ADVANS grant from the Gifford Foundation, allowing the agency to move forward in developing and evolving into what it is now

2012 - $1.8 million capital campaign, Building Community/Affirming Dignity, kicked off to fund the purchase and renovation of a new agency headquarters

2012 - InterFaith Works collaborates with the Syracuse City School District and Say Yes to Education to facilitate the Seeds of Peace program in Syracuse (PHOTO 1) (PHOTO 2)

2014 - Ahmad & Elizabeth El-Hindi Center for Dialogue was established (developed and expanded from the Community Wide Dialogue to End Racism program); Peter Willner served as the first director (PHOTO 1) (PHOTO 2) (PHOTO 3)

2014 - All agency services and programs relocated in November to the current location at 1010 James Street, Syracuse – official grand opening was held on January 15, 2015 (PHOTO 1) (PHOTO 2)

2017 - Senior Companion Program continues under the administration of the agency's newly created Senior Services department; Lori Klivak named program director

2019 - Following a successful capital campaign, the mortgage for the 1010 James Street property is paid off in June (PHOTO)

2021 - A new agency mission statement is approved and issued by the board of directors:

InterFaith Works affirms the dignity of each person and every faith tradition, builds racial and religious equity, and creates bridges of understanding among us.