named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
People’s Peace Award
Annual recognition given to individuals or groups doing grassroots work for peace and justice, such as the 2025 award to SIRDN for immigrant and refugee advocacy.
Singing Resistance Syracuse
Community singing initiative organized by choir members that uses public performances of justice-themed songs to build solidarity and resistance in public spaces.
Winter Solstice Concert
Annual concert series centered on themes of peace, justice, and seasonal reflection, featuring adult, teen, and youth ensembles; includes the presentation of the People’s Peace Award.
Youth and Teen Choirs
Programs for children ages 4–12 and teens that provide musical participation and education within a framework of social justice and community belonging.
activities · 4 groups
What they do
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Community Choral Rehearsals & Performances 2 activities
- Conducts weekly choir rehearsals for adult and teen participantsHolds regular weekly rehearsals for adult and teen choirs at locations including Grace Church and 601 Allen Street in Syracuse, NY, with adult rehearsals occurring every Wednesday at 7 PM. These rehearsals prepare members for public performances and community singing events.
- Fosters community building and collective care through public singing gatheringsOrganizes public singing events and community potlucks in Syracuse to build community, express commitment to justice, and promote collective care, often in conjunction with concerts and anniversary celebrations.
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Music Education and Training Programs 2 activities
- Supports personal growth and self-expression through choir participationProvides opportunities for members to grow personally through singing, including solo performance opportunities for those lacking confidence, and creates space for meaningful dialogue around social and personal issues during choir activities.
- Teaches and promotes multilingual and global freedom songs to advance social justice educationTeaches songs in multiple languages and global freedom songs such as "Siyahamba," using music as a tool for education and intergenerational engagement around issues of peace, justice, and human rights.
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Recognition and Awards Programs 1 activity
- Presents annual People’s Peace Award to honor peace and justice advocatesRecognizes individuals and groups engaged in peace and justice work through the annual presentation of the People’s Peace Award, such as honoring SIRDN in 2025.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Organizes and presents community choir performances centered on peace and social justicePresents annual concerts such as the Winter Solstice and Summer Solstice events, as well as special performances, featuring songs focused on peace, justice, indigenous rights, civil rights, environmental rights, religious acceptance, and inclusion. These events are held in community spaces like Grace Church and Plymouth Church in Syracuse, NY.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$70K
Contributions & grants$53K75%
Program service revenue$17K25%
Investment income$3010%
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$90K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$48K
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$22K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$22K
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -15.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 3
- CLIFFORD FORSTADT — DIRECTOR
- MARY ANNE BARRINGTON — DIRECTOR
- MATTHEW DEBELLAS — DIRECTOR
relationships · 12
Who they work with
- Flower Power Fundraising Partner — Partner organization hosting a fundraising marketplace profile for the Syracuse Community Choir.
- Grace Church Partner — Hosts in-person adult choir rehearsals.
- Jane Sapp Partner — Included Jane Sapp’s song _Watch Out Children’s Power Is On the Move_ in performances, reflecting a connection to her work in music and youth empowerment.
- Onondaga Nation Partner — Long-standing collaborative relationship spanning four decades, involving cultural exchange, shared concerts, and mutual respect.
- Onondaga Nation Partner — Longstanding relationship including joint concerts at the Onondaga Nation School.
- Onondaga Women’s Singing Society Partner — Collaborative musical performance at the 40th anniversary concert, including shared retelling of the Sky Woman creation story.
- Pete Seeger Partner — Performed music by Pete Seeger in a 1994 concert, indicating a programmatic connection to his legacy of folk music and social justice.
- Plymouth Church Partner — Hosted the Syracuse Community Choir's concert featuring Holly Near.
- Singing Resistance Partner — Part of a national movement using singing as a tool for resistance and solidarity.
- Syracuse Immigrant and Refugee Defense Network Partner — Honored with the People’s Peace Award for work in immigration justice.
- Tucker Missionary Baptist Church Partner — Hosts the Syracuse Community Choir's Summer Solstice Concert.
- Workers’ Center of Central New York Partner — Collaborates through the Workers’ Center to honor SIRDN with the People’s Peace Award.
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Arts-Integrated Civic Storytellingmethodology: civic_storytellingBy combining choral music with literary arts and civic narratives, we deepen community listening and elevate marginalized voices, because multidisciplinary storytelling strengthens democratic engagement and collective understanding.
- Inclusive Access as a Justice Practicemethodology: inclusive_participationBy removing financial, geographic, and cultural barriers to participation, we produce equitable engagement in music-making, because accessibility and inclusion are foundational to building a just and representative community.
- Intercultural Solidarity Through Shared Principlesmethodology: intercultural_collaborationBy grounding programming in Indigenous principles like All My Relations and land acknowledgment, we produce deeper accountability and interconnectedness, because honoring ancestral stewardship fosters justice and belonging for people and the earth.
- Music as Collective Action for Social Changemethodology: community_through_musicBy engaging people in collective musical participation, we produce stronger community bonds and advance social justice, because shared artistic experience fosters empathy, solidarity, and public advocacy for peace and inclusion.