At the 78th General Convention it was announced that 55 grants totaling $1.5 million were awarded to projects in 46 dioceses across the Episcopal Church and Anglican Communion. St. Anna’s Episcopal Church in New Orleans was awarded a grant for a project entitled “A Safe Place: Ensuring Fire Safety for Our Children.”
St. Anna’s is in the process of retrofitting their nearly 200 year old parish house with fire safety enhancements to ensure a safe place for the children who participate in the Anna’s Place after-school and Saturday education programs. The amount awarded was $16,260 to make these improvements that will include moving classroom space to the first floor in the current location of the administrative offices, installing fire safety equipment and alarms, and upgrading electrical wiring to handle the increased demand needed for computer and electronic equipment.
The vision of the programs of Anna’s Place is to lift up the people in the neighborhood where violence and crime, lack of health care, and lack of quality education are a part of life. Over 50 children are participating in the youth programs this year.