Livingin Syracuse
The volunteer house is located in the Syracuse, NY neighborhood called the Northside. You’ll live in a cozy and fully furnished house consisting of 8 bedrooms (you’ll get your own room!), two bathrooms, a dining room, a communal living space, a kitchen, a basement with a washer and dryer, and an upstairs porch. The house is located within about 10-15 minute drive to all service sites and downtown. The house is also about a 5-minute drive to Assumption Church, the parish where you will be a member.
Syracuse has a population of about 145,000 people and at times it can seem a little rough around the edges as the presence of poverty is great but it offers many opportunities to the local community. The community is rich as it holds strong to its roots from the past as well as embracing the new, as Syracuse has become a major hub for refugee resettlement. Syracuse also has a “young adult” vibe as one of its main support systems is Syracuse University. From catching a SU basketball game on University Hill, a bite to eat in Armory Square or a concert at The Westcott Theater, these are just a few ways to explore the perks of Syracuse.
If you were to leave Syracuse, you might find yourself in the beautiful region of the Finger Lakes or taking in the fresh air of the Adirondack Mountains. A couple hours down the road you could find yourself drenched by the water of Niagara Falls or checking out the Gorges of Ithaca. Syracuse is also located centrally between Toronto, Montréal, Boston and New York City if a longer community excursion is desired.
In Syracuse, each season offers a variety of opportunities that you can experience during the year with your community. Summer kicks off and wraps up the FrancisCorps experience as it brings festivals and cultural events to attend. In the fall, head up to the Adirondack Mountains to enjoy leaf peeping or go to a local farm for apple picking and corn mazing. The winter brings a time to go ice skating, skiing, sledding, or even having a snowball fight with your community. As the colder months turn into Spring, your community can enjoy the flowers blossoming and go on hikes to nearby waterfalls or walks in the many city parks.
