Northside Urban Partnership

Friends of the Butternut Community Police Center (BCPC) will host the 2nd Annual Gala and Silent Auction. During the event, BCPC will honor two heroes from our Northside neighborhood: Gilda DiCaprio and Earl Colvin. Gilda has lived on the same Northside block her entire life and Earl has lived and worked on the Northside for many years. Both heroes were instrumental in establishing the BCPC. Their commitment to building a dynamic and diverse neighborhood is truly inspirational.

There will be food, entertainment, and a cash bar during the event. Raffle tickets will be on sale for $1.00.  Tickets for the gala are $35 per person. The center is funded through donations and is run by volunteers. All youth between the ages of 6-16 are welcome regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, or country of origin. The BCPC aims to make a real difference in the lives of the youth in our neighborhood. The Center’s evolving programs include youth recreation, arts and crafts, trips to sporting events, homework assistance, summer camps and field trips, and the ability to talk with a police officer who knows the neighborhood and works to establish relationships with the diverse communities in the immediate area. Proceeds from the gala and auction will benefit the mission and programs of the BCPC.

For more information, including sponsor packages, click here.  For ticket information, please contact Officer Ken Burdick (466-9029 or cop@butternutcenter.org) or Sandra Ostrander (552-7139).

Yesterday we took part in the National Mayors’ Day of Recognition for National Service, during which Mayor Miner honored AmeriCorps and SeniorCorps volunteers. As you probably know, a good portion of our staff is composed of AmeriCorps VISTAs. Without them – we wouldn’t be where we are today. A great big thank you to those that have volunteered their talents and skills to our organization – past and present! We are grateful.

This spring, help us clean up the Northside! Northside UP, Yeshua Restoration Ministries, In My father’s Kitchen, and the Bhutanese and Wazigua communities are looking for volunteers to participate in Clean Up ‘Cuse, an annual community beautification initiative. On April 13 from 9:00 AM-1:00 PM groups of volunteers will team-up for litter cleanup, brush removal, weeding and mulching in the Near Northside area (N. Salina Street, Lodi St., Pond Street, and side streets). Volunteers should meet at the Northside Freedom Garden at the intersection of N. Townsend Street and Lodi Street at 9:00 AM.  A small neighborhood celebration will follow the cleanup at a location TBA.

Through a $2,000 grant from The Home Depot Foundation, the city of Syracuse will give each neighborhood a variety of supplies including bags, gardening tools, gloves, and hand seeders. TOPS Friendly Markets will donate nutritious snacks to volunteers and the Lerner Center at Syracuse University has donated reusable water bottles. The United Way has also donated t-shirts.

Interested in volunteering? First, create a log-in here through the Volunteer CNY website. Next, sign up for Clean Up ‘Cuse on the Near Northside here. The deadline for online sign-ups is today, April 8!

Once you sign-up, you will receive additional details by email prior to April 13. With any questions please contact the Mayor’s office at 448-8005, or email at LSpeicher@SyrGov.net. Click here for more information.

We hope to see you there!

The Onondaga Earth Corps (OEC) is currently looking to fill several open positions:

Tree Crew Supervisor 

Full time, must be 25 or over for insurance purposes

Tree Crew Member

Seasonal, part time, must be between the ages of 19-25

Green Infrastructure Maintenance Crew Supervisor

Mainly weekend hours, must be 25 or over for insurance purposes

Green Infrastructure Maintenance Crew Member

Mainly weekend hours, must be between the ages of 19-25

Please submit your resume, cover letter, and references as soon as possible to onondagaearthcorps@gmail.com.

OEC seeks to empower youth to be active participants in creating powerful change for their communities and the environment. For more information about the organization, check out their website. For more information about employment at OEC, visit their jobs page.

Jamie O’Hern, the owner of Refresh Farms, says she was shocked by what she learned about our agriculture system.  Large corporate farms use pesticides, large quantities of water, and hormones; the effect is devastating for both the environment and our personal health.  She saw aquaponics as a solution to these problems, so in December 2011, she started Syracuse’s first aquaponics farm.

Aquaponics is an integration of hydroponics and aquaculture, which results in a balanced ecosystem in which nearly all harmful waste and pollution are eliminated.  Aquaponic systems use less than 10% the amount of water that is used on traditional soil farms.  Jamie’s farm provides several varieties of lettuce, basil, and White Nile Tilapia. Beneficial bacteria convert the fish waste into nutrients for the plants growing on rafts floating in water-filled growbeds.

Not everyone can create their own aquaponic farm to help alleviate food supply issues.  However, anyone can support Jamie’s IndieGoGo campaign.  Her goal is to raise $19,500 to help the farm grow, diversify, and become more sustainable.  Some of the additions include incorporating solar panels, biofuel, and a greenhouse into the current model.  The additional funds will also help support research and development.

Because aquaponic farms can be located inside, they are ideal for food deserts and/or areas with contaminated soil.  Jamie would like to see community gardens incorporate aquaponic systems. Indoor farms are controlled environments, not beholden to the climate.  Currently, Jamie’s butter lettuce is thriving despite the sleet and snow outside.  This means that aquaponic farms could potentially grow vegetables and herbs not native to Central New York.

Jamie believes that small, local community gardens and farms are a great way to source food.  Unfortunately, they are limited in what they can produce during the upstate NY growing season.  For that reason, many small, local farms become the victims of corporate giants.  By incorporating aquaponics such farms can increase their supply in a sustainable way and grow year round.

On the Northside, many of the small markets must travel to New York to purchase staple produce which has been imported, especially in the winter.  If bok choy, thai basil, lemongrass and water spinach could be grown year round on a large scale locally, it would impact the economy of the Northside. It would also enhance the cultural vibrancy which already exists in the neighborhood cuisine.

Refresh Farm identifies as Syracuse’s first Urban Aquaponic Farm.  Thus, Jamie feels an added incentive to succeed.  Her farm’s success will prompt others to follow suit.  She has learned a lot from other farms in the Central New York area, and she hopes to share her findings with those who want to begin similar endeavors in Syracuse.  Supporting Refresh is a way to support a dynamic and positive shift in our city.  To donate, visit the IndieGoGo page, and watch the video.  The Refresh campaign ends on April 7^th.