VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
Mya Alysia: Galyn Murphy-Stanley is the lady who devotes her time running the interfaith community cooperative at university united Methodist church.
Alysia: The organization provides food, clothing, and hygiene supplies to people in need.
Galyn Murphy-Stanley: Try to figure out how to fix that person or help that person be better. That’s where the social justice comes in. How can I help this person get to a different place and be their best self.
Alysia:Growing up in a family of social workers gave her a front row seat to social justice work — an experience that shaped her life’s path.
Alysia: The organization serves the community through multiple programs, including emergency food distribution, to-go community breakfast and a clothing room.
Alysia: In 2020, when Murphy- Stanley saw social workers waiting up to three hours in food lines for their clients, she had to help.
Murphy-Stanley: When I really was struggling with the management of that amount of people waiting that amount of time food thawing on the street all of things. I started kind of filtering them out and saying lets do this after hours with you and you can come into the building or I can meet you outside with the food you need.
Alysia: This led to the creation of professional distribution, a new initiative specifically for social workers.
Alysia: Each care package is designed to feed a family of four for up to five days, packed with balanced meals that match their needs.
Nai- Raysia Williams: A lot of times, you know, I have people that have done like 25 years in prison and they get out. Some of those times people don’t know exactly what it is that they might need.
Alysia: Donations come from the food bank of central new York, local food manufacturers and growers.
Alysia: Syracuse city residents can contact her, by email at outreach at u-u-m-c Syracuse dot org.
Alysia: Mya Alysia, NCC News.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – More than 45,000 food-insecure individuals in central New York rely on food banks and other programs, including the Interfaith Community Co-op, for their next meal. On average, the Interfaith Community Co-op distributes food to 1,000 people every week. As demand for its services increase, so has the wait to get food.
Galyn Murphy-Stanley, the executive director, witnessed social workers waiting up to three hours in food lines. She struggled with managing so many people. The long wait times caused food to thaw out on the street. Murphy-Stanley said she had to help.
That was 2020. The situation has improved since then. She started allowing social workers to come into the building or meet them outside with food they need for their clients.
“That gave them a bit of their professional day back and it allowed me to connect with them on a face-to-face level,” said Murphy-Stanley.
She noted that the new system allows for a more intimate connection with the social workers, giving her an opportunity to inquire about other needs, such as bedding and personal hygiene for clients.
The new effort is called Professional Distribution for Social Workers. Early in the week, social workers place food orders prepared by her and volunteers. They pick up their orders after Friday’s emergency food distribution.
This initiative runs alongside other programs, including to-go community breakfast and emergency food distribution.
Murphy-Stanley grew up in a family with several social workers who worked tirelessly to assist people in the community. This shaped her life’s path.
“I think, because of my family, and I think because of where I grew up and where I went to school, and the fact that my family was very socially engaged and active, I think that I just had my eyes open,” Murphy-Stanley said.
She devotes herself to feeding the community by providing care packages with balanced meals that feed four people for up to five days.
“We try to think in terms of how families can make meals,” Murphy-Stanley said.
© Mya Alysia 2025
The organization distributes fruits, vegetables, and easy-to-eat foods among many other items.
“A lot of times I have people that have done 25 years in prison, and they get out,” Nai-Raysia Williams, a social worker, said. Some of those times, people do not know exactly what it is that they might need. I ask, do you have an ID? Do you have food? Do you have clothes?”
This assessment, she said, helps create a plan for different individual’s needs that the Interfaith Community Co-op can help with.
Syracuse residents who in need or who would like to volunteer can contact the Interfaith Community Co-op by email at outreach@uumcsyracuse.org.