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Located in Lakeview, St. Peter's Episcopal Church and Parish House was constructed in 1895. Designed by William A. Otis, this architecturally significant building is one of the oldest churches in Lakeview and is highlighted in the American Institute of Architects Guide to Chicago. Although the building is distinctive, its entrance had always been inaccessible. This was becoming a challenge to the growing number of elderly in the congregation, to an Episcopal congregation of African immigrants that use the church for worship, and to members of the community that had been attending many activities hosted by St. Peter's.
In 2004, RRF made a $16,475 grant to construct a switch-back ramp into the building. The project involved removal of the front entry, stairs and replacement with a wider, east entry stairway to accommodate a deeper top landing and the ramp. The ramp was constructed out of limestone to match the original material of the church and maintain the distinctive building's architectural integrity.
Although successfully completed, the project had its share of problems. Delays by the City of Chicago required that St. Peter's ask the Alderman's office to intercede on its behalf. The delay caused St. Peter's to revise its schedule to avoid problems that could have been caused by cold weather. However, in the end, the project was completed on time, and the ramp has made both the church and adjacent parish house accessible to all.
Located in Beverly, Trinity United Methodist Church is a relatively small congregation of 110 members. However, 30 percent of its members are older adults who are involved in worship and other church-sponsored programs as well as outreach to a nearby senior living facility. The church is also a distribution center for Terra Nova Senior Video Company, a video rental service operated by seniors. Prior to receiving an Accessible Faith grant, the church had no accessible entry and route to the assembly hall and no accessible restrooms.
In 2006, RRF made a $14,071 grant to construct a concrete ramp and renovate two restrooms to make them accessible. The restroom project ran very smoothly. However, the church encountered problems with the ramp contractor, causing delays in the permit process and taking the project into winter weather. The members of the project team persevered, terminated the first contractor, and hired a new one. From that point, all went smoothly. The ramp was successfully completed, and the project team reported immediate increase in attendance at workshop services and programs. The congregation and community are also experiencing benefits they did not initially anticipate as the ramp comes in handy for hauling rummage items, wheeling camera and video equipment, transporting children in strollers, and even carrying caskets.
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