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The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine has received $1.5 million in city funding to support a larger capital campaign to renovate Synod Hall.

Synod Hall is a historic building on the Cathedral’s 11-acre campus.

With the support of New York City Council including Speaker Adrienne Adams and City Council Member Shaun Abreu, the Cathedral’s goal is to transform Synod Hall into a larger community hub of Cathedral Community Cares (CCC), the Cathedral’s social service arm, whose mission is to combat and alleviate poverty through preventative poverty services, education and advocacy – specifically focusing on issues of health and hunger.

“Cathedral Community Cares’ mission of combatting poverty, alleviating hunger, and advancing public health for New Yorkers is crucial for our city,” said Speaker Adrienne Adams. “I’m proud to have worked with Council Member Shaun Abreu and our Council colleagues to secure $1.5 million to renovate the historic Synod Hall into a community hub for Upper Manhattan. 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. I look forward to seeing the positive impact of this investment for years to come.”

“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. This $1.5 million investment in Synod Hall will take the vital work they do to the next level, allowing for increased wellness and social services. I couldn’t be more excited to break ground on this project and support this new community hub as it uplifts Morningside Heights and all of Upper Manhattan for years to come,” said Council Member Shaun Abreu. “Scripture tells us ‘to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.’ This is the driving force behind this renovation: to make sure no one goes unserved on our watch.”