The congregation of Grace Episcopal Church, the oldest building on Madison’s Capitol Square, is raising money for a new roof, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.
The church hosted the city’s men’s homeless shelter from 1984-2020, continues to minister to the homeless, has operated a food pantry for over half a century, offers free concerts and has undertaken mission trips to Haiti.
While repairs to the building’s stonework have been ongoing for years, its roof is in need of replacement, and fundraising for the $1.5 million project has come up short. Church leadership is now seeking a way to cover the remaining $1 million in costs.
The church could apply to the state for historic tax credits that could be sold to raise around $200,000 to cover part of the costs.
Work began on the roof in June. It was previously replaced in 1980 and was supposed to last 80-100 years, but freeze and thaw issues have sped up deterioration of its materials and led to around $10,000 of expenditures per year to maintain it.
Click here to donate to the roof project.
