Dear All Souls —

Happy summer!

Your Executive Team is hard a work to ensure that our building continues to be a place that is a source of connection, safety and welcome for anyone who enters the doors of All Souls. We have made some significant developments toward repair of the leaking beneath the courtyard, and have make some long-advised changes to improve security in and around the building.

On June 21, I signed, with Board approval, a contract with an architectural and engineering firm to begin the work on waterproofing the courtyard and the repair of the Religious Education classrooms underneath the courtyard. After a lengthy proposal and vetting process by the Building Committee, Citadel Design Associates, LLC, Secondly, in September 2021, All Souls Church was awarded a federal grant to make security upgrades to the building. The $90K reimbursable grant is being used to install security cameras and fencing along the 16th street side of the church.

Regrettably, All Souls, like all religious institutions, must prepare for bad actors, and the installations of the cameras and fencing will offer additional protections. The upgrades are consistent with a 2020 safety assessment conducted by Navigate 360. Additionally, the grant funding will be used to provide active shooter training to all staff, Religious Education committee members, ushers, and MYSA teachers.

ED Traci Hughes-Trotter