Trinity Church, Wall Street awarded a grant of $400,000 to the Absalom Jones Episcopal Center for Racial Healing in early June to serve as a convenor for The Episcopal Church on anti-racism initiatives through providing training to youth, clergy, and lay leaders.

“We are delighted to be able to support your program, and we look forward to hearing of its progress and impact,” said The Reverend Dr. William Lupfer, the rector of Trinity Church. Through its Grants Program, Trinity Church Wall Street collaborates in mission and ministry with churches and organizations in the United States and internationally.

The Absalom Jones Center is a faith-based nonprofit organization that invites individuals to open their minds and hearts through a curriculum of experiences and activities that help to dismantle personal prejudice, take down racism, and bring forth reconciliation.

Executive Director Dr. Catherine Meeks outlined the ways in which the grant will be used at the center. Between July 2018 through July 2019, the center will be able to hire a full-time administrative and program assistant, extend daily hours into the evening so students who wish can use the space, and organize and implement more extensive pilgrimages and programs to support its mission.

The funds will also support the continued work of designing curricular materials for youth and adults, will address racial healing, justice, and reconciliation. Finally, the grant will enable the center to make those materials available to Spanish and Indigenous people.