In November, 2004, the vestry of Christ Church and the board of the Christ Church Preservation Trust launched the $10 million Campaign for Christ Church. Today we are pleased to announce that we have raised $5.2 million toward this goal. Campaign monies have already funded several vital projects:
- Fire Safety (Phase I) at the church, completed in May 2006.
- Architectural plans for re-purposing Neighborhood House.
- Cataloguing, organizing and digitizing the archives and artifacts.
- Preservation and restoration of the Burial Ground, including a new path to the marker of Deborah and Benjamin Franklin.
- Currently the church is enclosed in scaffolding, as work progresses to restore and protect the building envelope. This work will continue through the summer
Some of the projects coming up in 2008 and 2009 include:
- Fire Safety (Phase II): including protection, for the first time, of the entire interior of the church.
- Burial Ground: preservation of the 18th century grave markers.
- Neighborhood House - preserving and re-purposing this community building.
- Church records: continuing update and additions to documents and object catalogue on the web.
The energy with which the Campaign for Christ Church has moved forward is a sign of the vitality of Christ Church, its importance in America’s history, and the commitment of its members and supporters.