We’re doing a great deal of building at InterFaith Works. We help build bridges of understanding. We help build relationships through dialogue. We recently built this new website. Earlier this summer we purchased a building at 1010 James St., Syracuse, which will be our new home, and a construction crew currently is renovating the building interior in preparation for our occupancy this fall. That’s a lot of building!
We are very excited about acquiring this building for our agency, and we like to say, “We are homeward bound!” The 1010 James St. site will allow us to bring all of our programs and services under one roof. Think of the energy that will provide—not to mention operating efficiencies. With the majority of our clients at the Center for New Americans residing on the city’s North Side, the James Street location will be especially important in providing services to the local refugee community.
The new building will have state-of-the-art classroom space for English and family literacy classes, civics education, citizenship preparation, and employment assistance. Other features include private meeting rooms for therapeutic counseling sessions, incubator offices to accommodate start-up activities for local ethnic community-based organizations, and sufficient office and conference room space to accommodate anticipated program expansion of staff and volunteers.
We will now have a building that will position the agency for the important work ahead. The Ahmad and Elizabeth El-Hindi Center for Dialogue, which is poised to become a nationally recognized model for constructive community engagement, was made possible through a generous gift from the Ahmad and Elizabeth El-Hindi Foundation. It will provide a safe and inviting space for many different groups of people to come together to discuss pressing community challenges, to break down stereotypes, and to address the root causes of inequality and social injustice. See the photos of the renovation of our new home below.
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To make all of this a reality, we recently embarked on a journey to raise $1.8 million. We are pleased to report that, due to the generosity of many friends who believe in our mission and work, we have already raised more than half that amount. At the end of this post are links where we recognize those who have made a gift to help our new home become a reality. If you are interested in learning more about our work, our new home or our capital campaign, I encourage you to contact me at 315-449-3552 or at bbroadway@interfaithworkscny.org.
I am so pleased to report that we are “homeward bound,” and I welcome you to join us on our journey.
Beth A. Broadway
President/CEO
InterFaith Works of CNY