Trinity Church Serves Millions of Free Meals, Aids Tens of Thousands in Need, and Hosts Afterschool Program with a Full Court Press
The oldest, largest, and most prolific philanthropic organization in Lower Manhattan has issued its annual report, which documents that in 2024, Trinity Church served 2.5 million free meals to people experiencing food insecurity, while aiding 75,000 people (with a focus on asylum seekers) through its Compassion Ministry Program, and sponsoring educational programs that benefited 15,000 New York City public school students.
“Trinity is always seeking out the most effective and impactful ways to do good for our neighbors, our community, and our city, and our charitable giving reflects that commitment,” said the Rev. Phil Jackson, Trinity’s Rector.
Additionally, Trinity made philanthropic grants to 130 New York City-based charitable organizations, with an emphasis on homelessness, housing and shelter. Trinity also funded initiatives to address emotional well-being and alleviate the financial burdens of families living at or below the poverty line.
The free Trinity Youth Afterschool program (located at 76 Trinity Place) served more than 500 kids from nearby schools with athletics, music and dance lessons, art classes, homework help, and food. “Afterschool gives students a safe place to be after classes end, especially if they’re commuting to Lower Manhattan public schools from homes across the city,” Rev. Jackson said. “But more than that, it’s a space where young people can just show up and be themselves.” Also at the local level, Trinity pumped funds into school-based mental health services for both students and their families across Manhattan’s public school District 1, while underwriting science, arts, and summer enrichment programs.
“This work is rooted in a love for New York City and a commitment to building an equitable society in which the allocation of resources, opportunities, and hardships isn’t determined by race,” said Trinity’s chief community impact officer, Lorelei A. Vargas. “Our North Star is an emotionally supported community where people feel a sense of belonging – where they feel safe.”
The Youth Afterschool program at Trinity Commons additionally includes Jazz House NYC, which introduces students to group ensembles, improvisation, jazz vocals, and African drumming. Students can choose saxophone, trumpet, trombone, clarinet, flute, piano, or guitar. (To ensure the broadest possible access, novice learners are provided with loaner instruments.) This program (which served 139 students in 2024) also conducts an annual college fair, so that students interested in becoming professional musicians can build the confidence they need to pursue their goals. In the three years since Jazz House NYC launched at Trinity, 16 graduating high schoolers have gone on to study music at the university level. A related initiative is the Trinity Youth Chorus (photo above), which provides professional training to children age five to 18, including vocal technique, music theory, sight-reading, and performance skills.
Trinity’s multiple music programs (which include free concert series, such as “Bach at One”) form just one part of its cultural offerings, which extend to special events such as the Trinity Talks series, bringing Pulitzer Prize-winning authors and thought leaders for topical discussions in front of a live audience.
But the core of Trinity’s philanthropy remains humanitarian undertakings. In addition to the 2.5 million free meals supplied last year by the Neighborhood Support program, the Compassion Market (a twice-weekly food pantry at Trinity Commons) and satellite food distribution operations gave away truckloads of free groceries. A companion effort, Compassion Space, focused on distributing diapers (5,000 packs), winter coats (2,500), hygiene kits, and other necessities.
As the City took over multiple hotels in Lower Manhattan (and around the five boroughs) to house migrant asylum seekers in the last several years, Trinity developed additional free programs tailored to this need, including English-language classes, workforce development courses, and legal workshops. There was also a Christmas gift giveaway, along with two Christmas dinners, and a year-around schedule of weddings and baptisms for people newly arrived and facing an uncertain future in the United States.
Beyond the direct programming at Trinity Church and Trinity Commons, the organization last year awarded grants to nearly two dozen nonprofits providing services and shelter to asylum seekers across New York, including Women in Need, Providence House, and Coalition for the Homeless. Among the special initiatives Trinity has helped make possible is an expansion of the program for homeless youth at the Girl Scout Council of Greater New York’s Troop 6000 to include young asylum seekers.
“Beyond the individual lives that make up this community,” Rev. Jackson reflected, “we’re part of a larger, more ancient story. And it isn’t over. Each day, with God and with one another, we write the next chapter.”