Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams this week hosted his annual Interfaith Breakfast at Borough Hall, gathering with religious leaders to discuss how the government can partner with the faith community to improve the borough and the city.
At the breakfast, Adams will announce that he will be participating in a major homelessness awareness initiative, and urge faith leaders to expand their existing efforts in supporting neighbors in need. More than 60,000 New Yorkers are currently homeless, the highest number since the Great Depression, Adams noted.
Adams also made reference to previous initiatives his office has led around homelessness, including:
- Through the “Adopt-A-Shelter” program, he has encouraged people across the borough to mobilize community resources and volunteer efforts to help homeless people living in shelters, including gift giveaways and other service opportunities.
- Brooklyn Borough Hall also invested $3,000 in discretionary funds into a mobile barber service that goes from shelter to shelter providing free haircuts for those in need.
- And last year, he invested more than $300,000 in capital funds to a mobile shower unit that travels across Brooklyn providing free showers and hygiene amenities for homeless residents.
The clergy leaders included Pastor Alex L. Williams, Institutional Church; Pastor Heston Williams, Purpose Life Church; Rev. Dr. Toshikazu Kenjitsu Nakagaki, Heiwa Peace and Reconciliation Foundation of New York; Rev. Julie Sløk, The Danish Seamen’s Church; Pastor Gabby Cudjoe Wilkes, Double Love Experience Church; Sat Jagat Khalsa, Sikh Dharma; Hari Vilas Dasa, ISKCON New York City; Chaplain Major Bruce R. Duty, Garrison Chaplain, USAG Fort Hamilton; Rabbi Emily Cohen, Rabbinic Resident- Lab/Shul; Imam Hassan Akbar, Nafsin Wahida and Pastor Wanda Nunez, MARS Ministry
“We were proud to host our annual Interfaith Breakfast at Borough Hall, gathering with religious leaders from throughout Brooklyn to discuss how government can partner with the faith community to make our borough a better place to live, work, and raise healthy children and families,” said Adams.
“We may come from different faiths and walks of life, but we are united as One Brooklyn. And we must remain united to address the challenges facing us, from growing intolerance to the homelessness crisis. We all must play a role – it takes an entire community of conscience and caring to make lasting, positive change,” he added.
