Grant Spotlight:

February 2026

In Honor of Black History Month

We celebrate the legacy of faith, resilience, and community leadership that continues to shape and uplift Black communities across generations. St. Augustine’s ministry stands as a powerful reflection of that legacy in action, nourishing both body and spirit while affirming the history, identity, and future of the young people it serves.

Submitted by Linda Shomo Chairperson of Sunday Feeding Program and Wednesday After School Enrichment Program

For over three and a half decades, St. Augustine’s Sunday feeding program has served as a cornerstone of community support on Asbury Park’s Westside. Operating in one of New Jersey’s most under-resourced areas, this urban ministry provides a critical lifeline, ensuring local families have access to consistent, nutritious meals every Sunday.

In 2023, however, the ministerial team recognized that hunger was only one facet of the challenge; there was an equally urgent need to spiritually feed the youth served on Sundays by building meaningful relationships, offering mentorship, and fostering a stronger sense of belonging in a supportive environment students could call their own. From this community identified need, St. Augustine’s Wednesday After School Enrichment Program was born, transforming physical assistance into relational ministry.

Through collaboration with ECS-NJ and community volunteers, St. Augustine was able to successfully foster student empowerment by blending academic support with culturally centered self-esteem initiatives to help students reach their full potential. As Chairperson Linda Shomo, explains, “Given the current environment, where African American History is not emphasized, we must expose our young people to our black history and culture in order build their self-esteem and provide positive role models. We talk about the children are our future, but we don’t always step up and do anything about it. Our young people need role models and mentors that look like them. They need to see Black people that are successful and how they came about this success.”

By addressing a vital community need, St. Augustine’s program ensured students departed with a solid sense of identity and self-worth, preparing them for a powerful future

ECS-NJ values its partnership with St. Augustine that has helped turn vision into action through grant funding. By partnering with congregations such as St. Augustine, ECS-NJ is strengthening our collective ability to proactively address human needs in transformative and life-affirming ways.

St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church, Asbury Park would like to thank ECS for the opportunity in receiving a grant for the purpose of continuing to feed our surrounding urban communities and to open our doors each Wednesday for our Wednesday After School Enrichment Program for the youth of this community… Not only did the students benefit from this amazing program, but the parents also learned to trust us and know that their children were in a safe space and were being treated with kindness and respect.