The South Carolina Baptist Convention has donated $25,000 directly to Charleston’s Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church to help offset burial costs for families of nine church members who were gunned down during a prayer meeting by a lone assailant June 17.

Mark Hendrick, associate director for the SCBC’s Office of Public Policy, presented the check to Juenarrl Keith, presiding elder of the AME church for the Charleston area, on June 19.

In addition to the the state convention gift, a $2,000 gift from Charleston First Baptist Church was presented to Keith by Marshall Blalock, pastor of Charleston First Baptist.