General Manager Jason Smorol from the Syracuse Mets shares his appreciation for our Crew Members from Hire Ground. We have been able to assist the Mets getting ready to open for opening Day at the Stadium.

What is Hire Ground 

Hire Ground is a collaborative partnership with the County of Onondaga and is an IMFK outreach to the unemployed homeless and pan-handlers in the City of Syracuse and Onondaga County.

The “Hire Ground” program gives panhandlers and the unemployed homeless in Syracuse and Onondaga County an opportunity for change in their lives by offering work experience through day labor and connections to needed support services.

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, the Hire Ground van picks up nine individuals at various locations throughout the City of Syracuse and Onondaga County. Once they complete the intake process the Hire Ground team transports our friends to job sites to work beautification and other various projects. These projects include, but are not limited to, picking up liter after a concert at the St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater, building picnic tables for the NY State Fair and picking up trash from area parks and roadways.

In addition to working a five-hour shift and receiving a $50 stipend, Hire Ground feeds them breakfast, lunch and snacks for the day and provides transportation back to the pickup locations. We have served over 450 panhandling individuals to receive A Hand Up, Not A Handout. Our Care Managers connect participants to service providers in the Housing Coalition of CNY, as well as the Department of Social services. Without this collaborative effort, serving the needs of our participants would not be possible.

John and Leigh Ann