A Lansing church is making the first of a yearly financial contribution to a local reparations fund.
During a service Sunday, Pastor Tom Arthur of the Eastwood campus of the Sycamore Creek Church presented a nearly $3,700 check to the Justice League of Greater Lansing.
The organization was formed in 2021 with the goal of creating a reparations fund to address historic discrimination against Black Americans.
When Sycamore Creek took over the former Asbury United Methodist Church on Lake Lansing Road earlier this year, the church also gained an endowment fund. The church plans to give one percent of that endowment to the Justice League for at least the next two years.
"Our entire church, all of Sycamore Creek is committed to working on issues of racial equity, and being involved in anti-racist movement and helping build that in Lansing," Arthur said.
Justice League founder Willye Bryan said it’s important that the church is making an annual commitment to help close racial wealth gaps.
“This is not charity and it’s not designed to make you feel better about giving a check," said Bryan.
The Justice League of Greater Lansing reports raising nearly $400,000 since 2021. President Prince Solace said it's powerful how much they've been able to accomplish in two and a half years.
"That is a culmination of the predominantly white houses of worship contributing to the fund as well as individual donors, as well as having persons write the Justice League into their estate plans," Solace said.
The organization plans to distribute some of that funding next year starting with $50,000 worth of education scholarships.