New York gives $1.5 million to help Cathedral of St. John the Divine expand social service ministries

[Episcopal News Service] The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine announced Aug. 20 that it had received a $1.5 million grant from the city of New York to renovate a historic building on its Upper Manhattan campus and expand the social services it offers through the Cathedral Community Cares program.

The goal is to transform the cathedral’s Synod Hall into a ” larger community hub” offering a range of services to combat poverty, with a particular focus on addressing health and hunger issues.

“At Cathedral Community Cares, we saw over 35,000 visitors last year, and we expect that number to only grow. New Yorkers from all walks of life are finding themselves in dire need of food, clothing, and access to social services,” said the Rev. Eva Suarez, the cathedral’s canon for community engagement, said in a cathedral news release.

Synod Hall, a French Gothic building designed by architects Ralph Adams Cram and Frank Ferguson, was built in 1913 by J.P. Morgan to serve as convention space for The Episcopal Church. The renovation project, while preserving the hall’s historical character, will equip the building to host the cathedral’s soup kitchen, food pantry, laundry facilities and other services and resources, with a particular focus on improving the building’s lower level. The project’s initial phase will include upgrades to improve access for people with disabilities.

“When it comes to getting resources to those who need it most, the Cathedral of St John the Divine does a lot with a little space,” Council Member Shaun Abreu said in a written statement. The cathedral’s city-supported improvements will “take the vital work they do to the next level, allowing for increased wellness and social services.”

The cathedral has served low-income residents of the Morningside Heights and West Harlem neighborhoods through Cathedral Community Cares for nearly 40 years – fulfilling a mission that City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams said is “crucial for our city.”

“This center at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine and others like it are critical to building a safe and healthy city, and we must continue investing in their maintenance and expansion,” Adams said in the cathedral’s news release. “I look forward to seeing the positive impact of this investment for years to come.”