Chandra Soans serves as the senior pastor of Grace Trinity United Church of Christ and the Executive Director of Grace Neighborhood Development Corporation. In 1996, Rev. Soans partnered with his Conference (PSEC) to transform a closing church into a new church for the immigrant and surrounding community. Rev. Soans and colleagues took over a dilapidated building in a neighborhood familiar with drug dealers and gun violence. Rev. Soans and 11 members opened Grace Trinity UCC in July 1996. Over the last 20 years, the church has grown into a congregation with dynamic worship, far-reaching fellowship and discipleship, and engaging community service. Since then, he has transformed former church properties into much-needed daycare facilities. Rev.Soans has also been a long-time client of the Fund. Rev. Soans has also created the Grace Neighborhood Development Corporation (GNDC) to serve the local community. GNDC provides the local community pre-purchase counseling, credit counseling, home ownership and maintenance counseling, and other financial services. The mission of the GNDC is to aid low-income families in home ownership. Economic development is an equally important aspect of GNDC, and it owns more than 7,000 sq. ft. of commercial space for new and existing businesses, generating more than 100 jobs.
