The Black Bottom House of Prayer in Parramore needs to raise $250,000 by the end of November to qualify for a grant for church repairs.

The church's pastor, Dana Jackson, said the repairs would cost more than $1 million.

An Empty Church

In a report with Bungalower, the pastor applied for the grant, which would cover most of the cost for repairs.

The roof of the historical church reportedly collapsed in 2019. The walls supporting it fell as well.

The church has sat empty ever since. Jackson has been holding services in pop-up tents on the side of the property, the report stated.

In Need of Miracle Money

In an earlier report with Click Orlando, the pastor said the church was pre-approved for a pre-development loan. 

She added that the income-based loan was nothing short of a miracle. 

The pastor told the news outlet that she was holding on to her faith for restoration efforts to begin.

With the pre-approved loan, she believed the church was one step closer to achieving that. 

According to the report, the church did not qualify for the repairs to be done all at once. 

Instead, the church had to be rebuilt in three phases. 

Jackson explained that the first phase of repairs would be at the back offices of the church. 

The offices were where she held services before the roof collapsed in the fellowship hall. 

The pastor said they needed to repair the building so it could keep its historical status. 

She admitted that coming up with the money for repairs posted a challenge. The church wanted to do what it could to continue serving the community. 

The pastor said the church needed "miracle money." 

Historical Status

In a report with WMFE, the Orlando City Council voted to approve the church's historical status last year. 

The pastor bought the church in 2015. She planned to renovate the African American building. 

The historical property was almost demolished after the roof collapsed. 

The pastor saved the church when she ran into the building with her two granddaughters. 

‘Grieving Project’

Jackson said she was very emotional about the building.

She explained that the church became her “grieving project” following the loss of her firstborn son. It was the way she handled his loss, she told WMFE. 

She stressed that the church was more than a historical figure. It represented reaching out to people who felt like the lost sheep. 

The pastor added that she encourages people who were fighting their demons to come and attend church.

She said she welcomes those who felt rejected by the world. 

Reaching Out to the Lost

She told the news outlet that it was through her prayers that she was told to contact Commissioner Regina Hill. 

Hill said the City Council approved the historic designation of the site. The historical status meant the church would qualify for more state and federal funding. 

The Commissioner said they prioritized the African American church because of its significance. 

Hill explained that she saw the church as a “house of restoration.”

Jackson, for her part, said she is determined to restore the church to its former glory. She added that she continued to pray that more generous people would donate to their cause.

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