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by Nathan Brockman

Trinity Wall Street is a lead supporter of a new initiative to help small businesses in Lower Manhattan recover after Hurricane Sandy.

Trinity contributed $100,000 to the Downtown Alliance’s new program, “Lower Manhattan: Back to Business,” it was announced today. The Alliance seeded the effort in making available more than $1 million in grants to qualifying retailers, restaurants, and service providers located in Emergency Zone A below Chambers Street.

“Trinity has a long term commitment--more than 300 years--to the vitality of lower Manhattan,” said the Rev. Dr. James H. Cooper, rector. “Our philanthropy is worldwide, but it is also here in the neighborhood. Helping our small-business neighbors is helping the entire community to recover from the storm, and we are grateful to the Alliance and its director, Liz Berger, for providing us with this clear and focused way to help."

Other supporters include Citibank, the Durst Corporation, and Howard Hughes Corporation.The Alliance is hoping to raise an additional $1 million for the fund.

The financial gift follows weeks of on the ground relief efforts by Trinity volunteer teams on the Lower East Side and Staten Island. In addition to its regular twice-weekly brown bag program for people in need, Trinity has also organized feeding programs at satellite locations in great need, and engaged in other volunteer work.