E-Newsletter for October 28, 2008

In this issue:

• Health Center Promotion Restrained by Concerns over Care
• Court Challenge to Shelter Transfer Raises Questions on Church-State Deals
• Digest of Federal Grants with Faith-Based and Community Organization Eligibility
• Digest of Current Faith-Based News Stories

New! Health Center Promotion Restrained by Concerns over Care

As the need grows for more adequate and affordable health care in America, the administration of President
George W. Bush has turned to faith-based organizations to provide everything from primary care at private
community health clinics to education about medical conditions including autism, obesity, colorectal cancer,
and diabetes. But according to a group of local grassroots health care providers meeting this week at the
White House, the community-based response represents a band-aid approach to a system-wide epidemic
of rising medical costs, disparate levels of care and growing numbers of uninsured or underinsured Americans.

Last week's meeting had a different tone than the White House faith-based office’s previous monthly events,
known as "Compassion in Action Roundtables." That difference may have been due to the topic: health care,
which – unlike issues such as addiction recovery or homelessness – affects every American and has become
a problem that nearly every community must address. So at this meeting, government officials’ promotion of
partnerships was tempered by concerns about the need to fix a system-wide problem rather than simply rely
on religious and community organizations to provide limited services.

Click here to read more by Roundtable Washington Correspondent Anne Farris.

New! Court Challenge to Shelter Transfer Raises Questions on Church-State Deals

A plan by the city of Washington, D.C., to transfer property and funds to a Christian homeless shelter is
facing a court challenge from church-state separationists who claim the action is unconstitutional. A group of
taxpayers and homeless people, represented by Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the
American Civil Liberties Union, charges that the city’s plans to give Central Union Mission a building valued at
almost $9 million, plus $7 million in cash to renovate the structure, constitutes an illegal government
endorsement of religion. According to the lawsuit, homeless people are required to participate in religious
services in order to receive food and shelter at the mission, and the taxpayer-supported renovation would include
the construction of a chapel.

In its response, filed with the court last week, the District of Columbia argues that AU and the ACLU have no
right to sue them about the transaction, because the city and mission are still negotiating its terms and
conditions. In other words, in legal jargon, the case is not yet “ripe” enough to be challenged. In an analysis
of the case, the Roundtable’s co-directors of legal research, Professors Ira C. Lupu and Robert W. Tuttle of
George Washington University Law School, say that the court may agree with the city and prevent the case
from proceeding. Nonetheless, they suggest the legal challenge may cause the city to consider the structure
of the deal in the context of its potential conflicts with the Constitution.

Click here to read the legal analysis.

Weekly Digest of Federal Grants with Faith-Based and Community
Organization Eligibility

The grant opportunities this week for community and faith-based organizations are through programs
administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and by the U.S. Agency for
International Development.

Potential applicants should be aware that some grant programs require specific technical expertise,
or experience in particular foreign countries.

Click here for the grants digest.

Roundtable Digest of Current Faith-Based News Stories

Faith-Based Bid to Save Homes
The San Francisco Chronicle (California)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9037

Jay Hein, Former Faith-Based Initiatives Boss, Hired By Baylor
Dallasnews.com

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9038

Online Giving Still Expected To Be Brisk This Holiday Season
Austin Business Journal (Texas)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9039

Signs That, Amid Tough Times, Americans Will Keep Giving
Christian Science Monitor

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9040

Area Food Pantries Gear Up For The Hectic Holiday Season
The Free Lance-Star (Fredericksburg, Virginia)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9041

Nonprofit Lenders Seeing More Business in Credit
New Mexico Business Weekly (Albuquerque)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9042

After-School Programs Win With Unclaimed Lottery Prizes
Chattanooga Times Free Press (Tennessee)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9043

Aid Providers Worry about Winter;
Economic Problems Combined With Cuts in Aid Increase Need
Scope of Current Services

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9015

McCain Lambastes the Bush Years; 'We Just Let Things Get Completely Out Of Hand'
The Washington Times

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9023

More Needy Are Turning To Clergy for Funds, Faith
The Washington Post

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9016

Faith-Based Lodging Helps Needy Patients
Post-Bulletin (Rochester, Minnesota)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9017

Free Preschool for All? Kalamazoo County Leaders Unveil a Plan At Public Meeting
Kalamazoo Gazette (Michigan)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9018

Group Provides Vaccines, Tests To Day Laborers In Stamford, Conn.
The Stamford Advocate (Connecticut)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9019

Atlanta Group Gets $2 Million for Homeless
The Associated Press

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9020

Habitat's No-Interest Homes Help Muslims Meet Faith's Law
The Associated Press

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9021

Diverse Panel Discusses Health Needs
The Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9022

Central Union Mission Fights Lawsuit against Land Deal
Washington Business Journal

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9024

Justice Department Permits World Vision's Hiring Policy
Religion News Service

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9025

Festival Grant Under Scrutiny Hed News Lead Hergodfest
St. Petersburg Times (Florida)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9026

Va. Pharmacy Follows Faith, No Birth Control Sales
USA Today

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9027

Desert Cross May Lead to Landmark Ruling
Los Angeles Times

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9028

St. Vincent De Paul Is Planning Expanded Social Service Campus
courier-journal.com

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9029

Homeless Can Work Off Parking Tickets;
Simi Effort Means People Won't Lose Vehicles For Unpaid Fines
Ventura County Star (California)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9030

Drug Addiction - Something Faith-Based Communities Can Help With?
TransWorldNews

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9031

Treatment Program Saves Man From Prison:
Facing Domestic Violence Charges, Diego Ocanas Turns To Victory Outreach
The Pueblo Chieftain (Colorado)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9032

Make a Difference Day--Local Group Plans Projects Saturday
Sun Journal (New Bern, North Carolina)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9033

Church to Pilot Financial Program
The Times (Shreveport, Louisiana)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9034

Gov. Blunt's Faith-Based Missouri Disaster Relief Initiative Gaining National Attention
States News Service

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=9035

Weekly Opinion Roundup - 10/28/2008
The Roundtable on Religion and Social Welfare Policy

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/news_opinion_10_28_08.cfm