Mayor Eric Adams is calling upon the wrath of God to help fix some of New York’s most pressing issues.
Adams held a special Thursday morning breakfast for the City’s diverse spiritual and religious leaders inside the New York Public Library’s Stephen A. Schwarzman Building.
The harbingers of faith were treated to a vegan meal inside one of the Big Apple’s most historic institutions, yet the breakfast served more as a rallying cry than a humble get-together.
The morning was spent with various interfaith leaders thanking Adams for his support, but soon it was Adams who would call upon them. Referencing the storm of bullets plaguing the city as a result of gun violence and the out-of-control homeless crisis, Adams asked the group to hit the streets.
“Those who came before you, they did not stay within the confines of their four walls. We want to end gun violence, then let’s go into the street and talk to those young men pulling the triggers. We want to end the homelessness crisis, let’s mobilize and go to the subway systems and nurture and pray for those who are looking for some way out,” Adams said.
Holding up a sponge, Adams declared that New York has become saturated with heartache and with the help of local faith leaders the sponge will be rung out. It is with intentions like this in mind that the mayor announced the creation of a new Office of Faith-Based and Community Partnerships (OFCP).
Signing an executive order, the mayor declared the office will seek to improve the welfare of all New Yorkers and will be housed within the Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit (CAU) and will be led by Pastor Gilford Monrose.
“I am humbled to join the administration as head of OFCP,” Monrose said. Mayor Adams has always recognized the important work faith leaders across our city do to help the most vulnerable New Yorkers, and this new office will engage these communities to address issues affecting our city, from gun violence to hate crimes, and uplift people across the five boroughs.”
Mayor credited much of success to his late mother, whose voice he says he hears every time he goes on stage. It is this faith he hopes all New Yorkers will be able to benefit from.
