Syracuse, N.Y. (NCC News) – Nestled in a small plaza east of Downtown Syracuse is the Brady Market.
The 8,000 square foot store on Gifford St. has been offering therapy, case management, and job placement programs to the underserved local community since it opened last May.
The market’s help could not come at a better time as rising crime and poverty rates grip the nearby minority neighborhoods.
As the store continues its initiatives, Executive Director Kevin Frank believes the market is providing more than just affordable food to those who need it.
“We pay people to work on themselves, and we believe if you work on yourself you can do anything, so that’s part of what we offer to our trainees,” Frank said.
The market also creates a sense of togetherness that Frank thinks neighbors can hang their hats on.
“You’re not alone, and we can hang onto hope together. When you lose hope I got it to give to you, when I lose hope you got it to give to me. That’s what mentoring does, that’s what a community does,” Frank mentioned.
He also credits Syracuse’s sharp increase in crime can be attributed to a lethal absence of hope.
Brady Market is a nonprofit store that also offers free classes for the community on top of their job placement and therapy programs.
