A big part of The Assist is focused on giving back. And this year, more than ever, we want to be here for our community - our neighbors and friends. Given the uncertainty of SNAP, owner, Christina Whiteside is organizing a food drive for the Food Bank of Central New York.
How? From November 10th through the 25th, The Assist is hosting several boxes at local businesses in CNY for community members to drop off non-perishable items to benefit the Food Bank of Central New York. If you’d prefer to make a monetary contribution please click here to donate.
Lets Feed The Hungry, together!
The Food Bank of Central New York is leading the effort to eliminate hunger in our region through partnership, education, advocacy, and distribution of nutritious food. The Food Bank of Central New York serves 11 counties and distributes millions of pounds of food annually. Visit the Food Bank’s website here >>
Our Business Partners
Salt City Coffee (3 locations)
-
509 W. Onondaga St, Syracuse, NY
511 E. Genesee Street, Fayetteville, NY
1150 Salt Springs Road, Lemyone College
-
At Salt City Coffee, we aim to showcase creativity, curiosity, and community centered around specialty beverages in Syracuse and beyond. We are coffee experts working to bring great coffee to everyone, meeting our guests wherever they are on their coffee journey. Since 2017, we have prioritized intentional coffee sourcing, a playful approach to menu creation, and giving Syracuse a coffee company to be proud of.
Soul Society
-
230 Genesee St, Syracuse, NY
-
Whether you are looking for a healthy little pick me up, want a posh little bite, or need something good for the gut - Soul Society has got you covered. The team at Soul Society thrives on nourishing. Nourishing the body, mind + soul.
Project LeanNation Syracuse
-
174 Township Blvd #20, Camillus, NY
-
PLN offers chef-prepared, ready-to-eat meals designed for health, convenience, and performance. Beyond meals, they provide personalized nutrition plans, one-on-one coaching, and holistic health support to help clients achieve lasting lifestyle changes. With grab-and-go options, supplements, and a membership program (PLN+), Project LeanNation combines nutrition, education, and community accountability, making it an ideal partner for initiatives that promote wellness and healthy living in the Syracuse area.
Synple
-
70 Main St, Camillus, NY 13031
-
Coming together to make your life SYNPLE.
SYNPLE is a lifestyle boutique located in Camillus, NY and online, shipping nationwide.
We are committed to personalizing the shopping experience and believe every shopper has a unique identity that deserves to be celebrated. We offer something for everyone and believe in accessible, high-quality products. We aim to always put a smile on your face and believe retail therapy can help turn lemons into lemonade.
Get a little dose of happy every time you shop at SYNPLE.
“Helping people access not only healthy meals but food in general is deeply important to me. My family immigrated from Ukraine in 1991, and during those early years, we often relied on the generosity of others for support. That assistance made a lasting impact on us, and I am incredibly grateful for it. Having experienced firsthand the difference that access to food and community support can make, I’ve always felt a strong desire to give back. Now that I’m in a position to help, supporting others—whether through healthy meals, nutrition education, or community initiatives—is my way of paying forward the kindness we once received.”
Meet the Artists
Instead of placing an ordinary brown box in each business to collect donations, The Assist put a call out to the Arts Community to seek Artists interested in donating their talents and time to thoughtfully paint and design our Food Drive boxes. We are pleased to share the four artists collaborating with us for our Thanksgiving fundraiser.
Ally Walker
Ally will design the donation box for Salt City Coffee.
-
Throughout my 20 plus years of artwork, I have worked to create art that will entice the viewer by appealing to the senses. Bright colors in harmony with a whimsical design is a style I have created and work towards perfecting. My passion is large scale painting and creating enticing designs that allures its viewers to take a closer look. Exterior or Interior murals create a different perspective to an environment though color and space distortion. In my art I work towards appealing to the viewer's senses with an ergonomic perspective, thinking about the interaction between the users and their environment and applying color theory and spatial design. It has been proven that people are more motivated with a positive mood with design and color, and I work towards creating environments that beautify an overlooked space. The lobby of a hospital can become a large tree house, an 18ft elephant in a common area can't be ignored, the front glass doors of a building can become bookshelves, and a 30ft giraffe can remind us to be ourselves everyday on a daily route. The definition of beautification means the process of making something appealing to the senses. Making beautiful, beautifying, improving the appearance of something so that it entices patrons to visit more, interact, or become a beloved landmark in a once dilapidated area, is something I strive for in my art. Murals can create a sense of community, be a social backdrop, engage patrons, help local economics, ease tension, and add more color to any area. I work towards creating art that makes you look twice at an area you overlook and then want to visit for a closer look.
Smile It’s Healthy
Smile will design the donation box for Project LeanNation.
-
I am a Bosnian Painter born in Syracuse Ny making art that reflects the human mind, soul, and emotion through expressive figures.
Blade
Blade will design the donation box for Soul Society.
-
Blade is a self taught portrait artist currently based in Syracuse, New York, originally from Southern Louisiana. Her work captures the emotional nuances of life through paintings that delve into themes of identity, memory, and the human experience. Through her art, she explores what it means to feel deeply, live fully, and be seen in all one’s complexity.
Jan Lane
Jan will design the donation box for Synple.
-
Jan Lane is a Syracuse-based mom and mixed media artist, who works full-time as a philanthropic advisor. Her work is inspired by nature and poetry. She believes art plays a critical role in our daily lives, as a way of making and marking moments, movements and meaning.