Tag: Onondaga county

The December FOCUS Forum is the third in a three-part fall series on Economic Instability in Onondaga County. Participants do not need to be present at all three to enjoy the conversation. Join FOCUS for a hybrid public forum where local leaders will connect residents with the programs, resources already available in Onondaga County, and open a conversation about how all of us can continue to drive meaningful change! This discussion is informed by the work of local organizations on the front lines of financial empowerment, workforce development, and community economic change. Panelists will provide a practical look at the tools and resources available to residents, drawing on their professional roles and direct experience delivering programs, building financial capability, and creating pathways toward economic stability in Central New York. The conversation will highlight what is working locally and how residents can get connected, get involved, and become part of the solution.

FOCUS Forums

Economic Instability: Barriers, Bridges, and What’s Possible in Onondaga County

April 18, 2026

The November FOCUS Forum is the second in a three-part fall series on Economic Instability in Onondaga County. Participants do NOT need to commit to all three. Join FOCUS for a hybrid public forum to explore the lived realities of local financial hardship, the intersecting barriers, and the resilience, resourcefulness, and work happening in CNY! Panelists will provide an honest look at what barriers people face, where systems fall short, and where bridges are being built. The conversation will highlight ways residents can better understand, support, and connect with local efforts.

FOCUS Forums

Economic Instability: Understanding the Roots of Financial Hardship in Onondaga County

April 17, 2026

Recording Now Available!

The October FOCUS Forum was the first in a three-part fall series on Economic Instability in Onondaga County. Participants do not need to commit to all three. FOCUS Greater Syracuse, Inc. opened its Fall 2026 FOCUS Forum series on economic instability with a conversation about how Onondaga County arrived at where it is today, and where its opportunities are now. Robert Searing, Curator of History at the Onondaga Historical Association (OHA), walked attendees through the local story, from the manufacturing economy of the 1950s and 1960s to the civil rights work of CORE and its 1964 Project 101 study, which named housing, employment, and education as connected issues. He spoke about the impact of the 15th Ward, restrictive covenants, and redlining, and reminded the room that many of these policies were still in place within living memory. Frank Ridzi, Vice President of Community Investment at the Central New York Community Foundation, shared data and local insights on how geography, housing age, lead exposure, and job pathways shape families’ financial stability. He highlighted the opportunity created by the Micron project, workforce housing investment, Say Yes to Education, and $65 million in CHIPS Act funding directed toward local workforce preparation. Audience questions explored the role of tax agreements, how to encourage local ownership of housing, code enforcement, and how to make sure the people who live here benefit from new investment. Both speakers pointed to one clear lesson from history: the region makes its biggest strides when government, philanthropy, employers, universities, and labor work together.

FOCUS Forums

Food & Health Systems: Access, Policy, and Civic Engagement

April 17, 2026

Listen to Recording Today!

FOCUS hosted a hybrid public forum on food access, health system partnership, and civic advocacy at the Food Bank of Central New York during Hunger Action Month. Panelists from the Food Bank and Upstate University Hospital explored the deep connection between food insecurity and chronic disease, the innovative programs bringing food directly into healthcare settings and rural communities, and the significant federal policy changes that are already reshaping how food assistance reaches families across the region. The conversation made clear that food access is not a charity issue; it is a public health issue, a civic issue, and one that community members can and should be engaged with, especially now. FOCUS Greater Syracuse, Inc. is a nonpartisan organization. The views and opinions expressed by panelists at FOCUS Forums are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of FOCUS or its sponsors.

FOCUS Forums

Transportation: Getting From Here To There

April 16, 2026

Recording Now Available!

FOCUS hosted a hybrid public forum on the future of transportation in Central New York, featuring leaders from three of the organizations most responsible for planning, building, and operating the region’s transportation system. Panelists from the Syracuse Metropolitan Transportation Council, the NYS Department of Transportation, and Centro explored the full scope of the I-81 Viaduct project, Centro’s first complete system redesign in over 20 years, the arrival of Bus Rapid Transit in 2028, and what Micron’s growth means for how people move around Onondaga County. The conversation connected transportation directly to equity, aging, economic development, and the choices the community makes now about how, and where to grow.

FOCUS Forums

Workforce in Motion: Aligning Talent, Opportunity, and Civic Engagement

April 16, 2026

Recording Now Available!

FOCUS hosted a hybrid public forum on workforce development and the future of work in Central New York, exploring how the region is preparing residents, employers, and educational institutions for a period of economic transformation that has not been seen here in generations. Panelists from Center State CEO, the MACNY – The Manufacturers Association of Central New York, and Le Moyne College’s Erie 21 program discussed the programs, pipelines, and partnerships working to connect everyday people to construction, manufacturing, and technology careers, and named the barriers, including transportation, childcare, and awareness, that continue to keep those opportunities out of reach for too many residents.

Tag: Onondaga county

Economic Instability: From Awareness to Action in Onondaga County

Economic Instability: Barriers, Bridges, and What’s Possible in Onondaga County

Economic Instability: Understanding the Roots of Financial Hardship in Onondaga County

Food & Health Systems: Access, Policy, and Civic Engagement

Transportation: Getting From Here To There

Workforce in Motion: Aligning Talent, Opportunity, and Civic Engagement