Uniting Boroughs Through Faith

A crowd of faith and community leaders filled Queens Hall at Queens College on Monday, April 28 at 5:30 PM for the latest installment of the Faith in Your Borough (5 Boro Tour & Evening of Faith) initiative. Hosted by the Mayor’s Office of Faith-Based and Community Partnerships (OFCP), the event aimed to connect houses of worship and nonprofit organizations with key city agencies to address borough-specific concerns and expand community access to public services.

With Mayor Eric Adams and senior administration officials in attendance, the gathering emphasized the vital role religious institutions play in neighborhood cohesion and social resilience. Leaders from churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, and a variety of local organizations joined the conversation on how to better serve their communities with the support of municipal infrastructure.

As part of the bi-monthly five-borough tour, this Queens stop brought together representatives from crucial agencies including the Department of Education (DOE), Department of Buildings (DOB), Department of Finance (DOF), the Fire Department of New York (FDNY), and the Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD). These entities provided technical assistance, offered insights on city services, and responded to inquiries regarding neighborhood development, safety, and educational programming.

The purpose of the Faith in Your Borough initiative is to ensure that local faith communities—often among the first responders during times of crisis—have the tools they need to continue supporting their constituents effectively. Many faith-based organizations serve as food pantries, educational hubs, and community shelters, especially in underserved areas. Ensuring their access to resources, streamlined communication with city departments, and up-to-date regulatory guidance is essential to enhancing their impact.

During the event, attendees had the opportunity to speak directly with city personnel about permitting issues, youth programming, fire safety compliance, and other concerns that directly affect houses of worship and the neighborhoods they serve. By creating space for two-way dialogue, the initiative also helped identify systemic challenges that can now be addressed through interagency cooperation.

The Queens gathering demonstrated a model of inclusive governance that prioritizes listening to the grassroots and equipping them with tangible support. By embedding these sessions across each borough, Mayor Adams and the OFCP underscore the city’s recognition that solutions to urban challenges often begin at the local level—and that faith-based leaders are pivotal in building healthy, safe, and thriving communities.

This edition of Faith in Your Borough exemplified the city’s ongoing efforts to not only honor the diverse spiritual traditions represented throughout New York City, but to actively involve them in shaping policy and service delivery. In a city as vibrant and complex as New York, strengthening partnerships between government and faith institutions has proven to be a valuable step toward inclusive civic engagement and community empowerment.

The event concluded with an invitation for attendees to continue participating in future borough events and to collaborate with city departments on ongoing projects and initiatives. As the 5 Boro Tour & Evening of Faith continues, it promises to deepen connections across neighborhoods while reinforcing the message that faith and governance can work hand in hand to build a better New York.