Two Student Organizations Team Up to Fight Food Insecurity

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (CITRUSTV NEWS) — Over 180,000 citizens of the Central New York region are affected by the SNAP shutdown, including 67,000 from Onondaga County.

Many local food pantries are struggling to be able to support the influx of people in need, and an organization on Syracuse’s campus is now helping out. Connect 315 and Crossroads Collective have organized a food drive to assist local food banks. 

Connect 315 and Crossroads Collective are known for their efforts in bettering the Syracuse community. This is not their first time collaborating, nor making an impact.

The organizations were able to collect an abundance of non-perishable food items to provide to those without SNAP benefits. Leah Farrell, President of Connect 315, talked about how this idea came about. 

“Lately, we’ve been talking a lot about what’s been going on with the government shutdown, and subsequent impacts that it’s having on people across the nation, including 100,000 people in Central New York alone… So, together we did a little impromptu food drive, and we put it together really quick, ” said Farrell. 

Farrell and her peer Christa Bromfield explained how many of their donations came from those on campus, and even those just inside the Schine Student Center.

“We’ve been having people go downstairs, and get like small cans of like tuna or soup- or anything, because like, a little goes a long way,” said Bromfield 

The amount of donations are to be totaled and distributed by Monday, and it is possible that the drive will occur again next week. 

Reporter: Maddie Ritter