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Community Initiatives
Bethel A.M.E Church in Pennsylvania partnered with a nonprofit to address food insecurity in their community by starting a garden that provides free, fresh produce. In 2022 the garden produced 1,200 pounds of food and the program has expanded to help build 50 garden beds for local families and organizations.
Kingdom Fellowship AME Church in Calverton, Maryland integrates financial literacy with faith, holding training sessions like the recent "Faith + Finance" event. This session focused on credit utilization, drawing on biblical teachings to emphasize the importance of maintaining good credit. Members have benefited from these programs, paying off debts and achieving financial stability.
In California, Arlington Community Church (UCC) launched the Black Wealth Builders Fund, a foundation for lending interest-free funds to help Black Americans purchase their first home. To date, they have raised about $330,000, provided 15 interest-free loans, and helped 21 first-time homebuyers.
Preservation Grants and Projects
Masjid Muhammad, also known as The Nation’s Mosque in Washington, D.C., has received a $150,000 grant from the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund to preserve its structure. This historic mosque, established in 1937 and completed in 1960, is the first Islamic site to receive support from this fund. The grant will fund environmental and engineering studies for a LEED-certified expansion and capital improvements, including doubling the worship space and enhancing community services.
This initiative is part of a broader effort by the fund, which has invested $27 million in 304 Black heritage sites since 2018. Lilly Endowment Inc. and the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund are investing in a $20 million initiative to help historic Black churches and congregations reimagine, redesign, and redeploy historic preservation to address the institutions’ needs and the cultural assets and stories they steward. Two historic Black churches in Cleveland are among the 35 recipients of grants to help restore and preserve these landmark institutions.
Spotlight: Faithful Generosity Story Shelf
The Lake Institute on Faith and Giving are sharing a Faithful Generosity Story Shelf. This story collection highlights congregations and other religious groups who are using their assets and resources in creative ways as an expression of faithful giving. Use these accessible vignettes to spark new questions, conversation, and imagination with your leaders about funds, buildings, land, and other resources in your care.
The Lake Institute offers two free discussion guides to help you make the best use of the Story Shelf in your congregation or organization.
1. Let’s Talk About Faithful Generosity: A comprehensive, 17-page tool for facilitating creative and imaginative conversations about how congregations can use their resources in service to their local community.
2. Ways to Use the Story Shelf: A one-page guide that outlines ways to use the Story Shelf and reflection questions for group discussion.
Intrafaith and Interfaith Collaboration
Three historic Black churches, First African Presbyterian, Calvin Presbyterian, and Good Shepherd Presbyterian Churches, merged to form New River Presbyterian Church. First African Presbyterian, founded in 1807 and the first African American Presbyterian church in the U.S., along with Calvin Presbyterian, faced declining membership and deteriorating buildings. The congregations recognized the need for a new approach. Following the fire at Good Shepherd, the three began the venture to merge. New River has since secured grants for affordable housing projects and sanctuary restoration.
Over 30 Buddhists and Christians gathered to form relationships and discuss collaboration at the National Buddhist-Christian Dialogue, hosted at the University of the West and co-sponsored by several religious organizations. The dialogue, hosted by a Buddhist institution, allowed participants to explore common challenges, such as secularization, attracting new members, and engaging youth in leadership.
Celebrations
In early June, 29 youth leaders from the global Zoroastrian community gathered for the second World Zoroastrian Youth Leaders Forum at the Asha Centre, an interfaith retreat near Oxford. Founded in 1996 by Zoroastrian leader Zerbanoo Gifford, the Centre has become a hub for promoting the religion's principles of "Good thoughts, good words, good deeds." The forum aimed to empower youth priests, establish a global organization for youth initiatives, and support the Asha Centre's continuity.
One Hindu parent is using Instagram reels to connect with Hindu youth by answering their questions about the faith and traditions and demonstrating rituals and celebrations. Ranjani Saigal, known as “the Hindu Grandma” has amassed over 100,000 followers and is working to teach Hindu traditions respectfully, encouraging youth to embrace them.
The Federation of Indian Associations NY-NJ-CT-NE (FIA) and the Consulate General of India in New York hosted a Curtain Raiser event on July 8th for the 42nd Annual India Day Parade NYC. Representatives from various organizations unveiled the parade float, symbolizing India's cultural heritage.
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