An update from the Roundtable on Religion and Social Welfare Policy, an independent research
project of the Rockefeller Institute of Government. The public policy research arm of the State
University of New York.

New! Minnesota Faith and Community Leaders Gear Up for
Soldiers' Return

With some 3,000 National Guard soldiers in the Iraq War – comprising the state's largest
and longest deployed brigade since World War II – Minnesota's faith and community leaders
are bracing themselves for the impact of recently extended stays, as well as the soldiers'
eventual return home. National Guard Chaplain Major John Joseph Morris is the man in
charge of the soldiers' return integration. Morris himself was in combat twice and came
home from Iraq in 2005. He is now recruiting and training people in the community, including
religious leaders, to provide emotional and therapeutic support for the soldiers and their families.
So far, he has worked with 500 faith leaders and has called on Gov.Tim Pawlenty's Office of
Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (FBCI) to carryout a statewide campaign to recruit more
 faith-based leaders and organizations.

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

New! An Interview with Jim Gambone, developer of “A Soldier's
Coming Home”

Dr. James V. Gambone is senior partner in Points of View Incorporated, a Minnesota organization
that consults with churches, businesses, and community nonprofits to break down barriers between
generations. He has recently worked with Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota to develop a curriculum
for Camp Noah, a week-long summer program that works with children affected by disasters. Gambone
is currently re-developing the Camp Noah curriculum to fit the needs of children who have a parent about
to return home from military service. He spoke to the Roundtable about his new camp curriculum, which
he calls “A Soldier's Coming Home.” The faith-based program will be run by Lutheran Social Services and
paid for by the Minnesota National Guard. Eligible children will attend for free.

Click here to read the interview.

NEW! Religious Groups Enlist the Most Help, Even As Volunteers Decline

While religious organizations continue to be the most popular arena for volunteer service, the rate of
volunteering declined between 2005 and 2006, mainly due to volunteer attrition. That's according to a
new report, “Volunteering in America: 2007 State Trends and Rankings in Civic Life,” issued April 16
by the Corporation for National & Community Service (CNCS). It gives a detailed breakdown of America's
volunteering habits and patterns by state and region.

The report shows that 61.2 million adults (26.7 percent of the population) volunteered in the United
States in 2006, a decline from the 65.4 million volunteers in 2005. That rate remains historically high
compared to past decades, nonetheless, because the percentage of young adult volunteers almost
doubled between 1989 and 2006. The report also showed a small decline since 1989 in religious
organizations as the place where people volunteer, though faith-based groups remain the primary
recruiters of unpaid help. Among all volunteers, one-third did not continue to serve in a following year,
causing CNCS leaders Monday to call for efforts to better recruit, retain and manage volunteers. The
loss of 20.9 million volunteers from 2005 to 2006 was the highest attrition rate in four years,
according to the report.

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

New Report: Abstinence-Only Classes Don't Curb Teen Sex

Programs aimed at encouraging young people to abstain from sex until marriage did not increase
the likelihood that attendees would actually do that, according to a newly released evaluation from
Mathematica Policy Research Inc. of four government-funded programs. According to the report,
youth attending the classes were no more likely than others to: abstain from sex, delay sex until
an older age, have fewer sexual partners, or fail to use condoms when they did engage in sex.
Graduates of the programs were more likely to correctly identify sexually transmitted diseases,
but the classes had no impact on students' understanding the consequences of contracting STDs.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which funds and oversees the abstinence-
education programs, said the report highlights the need to extend such programs from middle
school through high school, and to promote peer support for abstinence. A release from HHS also
points out that one of the primary criticisms of abstinence-only programs, which do not include
mention of contraceptives, did not prove true: Young people who attended the programs and later
reported having sex were no less likely to use condoms, as critics predicted they would be.
Long-standing critics of the abstinence-only approach nonetheless used the opportunity of the
report's release to continue to call for more comprehensive sexual education that also informs
students about contraception.

Click here for a news release on the report.

Click here for the full report.

Click here for a roundup of news stories on the report.

The Roundtable has reported on abstinence education programs in previous articles, and
considered the topic of abstinence education in its annual conference in December. Click
on the links below to access some of our more recent contributions on the topic.

America's Stress on Abstinence Hampers AIDS Prevention, Report Says

Government Watchdog Says States and Feds Fall Short on Abstinence

New Jersey Rejects Federal Strings -- and Money -- Attached to Abstinence Education

2006 Conference Program Transcript: Faith-Based Organizations and Abstinence Education.

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. Departments of Agriculture, Education, Health and Human
Services, Justice, Labor, and by the Corporation for National and Community Service.

Potential applicants should be aware that some grant programs require specific technical expertise.

Click here for the grant digest, compiled by Roundtable Correspondent Allison Sarnoff
with Lisa Montiel.

Roundtable Digest of Current Faith-Based News Stories

Catholic Charities dropping foster care: Insurance coverage lost after settlement
Chicago Tribune (Illinois)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6333

Lending helping hands: Catholic Charities volunteers work to repair hurricane home damage
Albany Times Union (New York)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6334

Charity sees housing as biggest need
New Brunswick Home News Tribune (New Jersey)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6335

Mercy Corps: More than an international Band-Aid
Associated Press

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6336

School Bible course proposed
Los Angeles Times (California)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6330

ACLU seeks to review abstinence classes in Ohio
The Associated Press State & Local Wire

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6331

Off the streets, on the payroll
Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Texas)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6327

Connellsville ministry nurtures bodies, spirits
Tribune-Review (Pennsylvania)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6328

Seniors to Get Beacons of Hope for Emergencies:
Flashing device will help responders find mobile homes of elderly in distress.
Lakeland Ledger (Florida)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6329

Religious scholar champions separation of church and state
Journal-World (Kansas)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6323

Exploring Strategies To Solve Housing Crunch
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer (Washington)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6324

JOB: Put jail project on hold
The Janesville Gazette (Wisconsin)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6325

The Spiritual Side Of Intimacy; If You're Seeking A Close Relationship,
Experts Say, Don't Forget Your Faith
Charlotte Observer (North Carolina)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6326

Green Bear program restarts with state funds
Southeast Missourian (Missouri)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6320

Recent court cases show a trend to support nonsectarian prayer
Winston-Salem Journal (North Carolina)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6321

For God's Sake
The New York Times

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6322

Bush: Keeping the faith
Chicago Tribune (Illinois)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6318

Study: Religiosity an 'Untapped Resource' in AIDS Fight
Christian Post

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6319

Diversity bill get initial approval
The Kansas City Star (Missouri)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6315

Is college using a double standard on 'entanglement' with religion?
Minneapolis Star Tribune (Minnesota)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6316

Program works to add jobs for youth:
Youthpower founder wants to expand focus to year-round
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Wisconsin)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6310

Local Report: Euphrates Project helps young people
Asbury Park Press (New Jersey)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6311

Faith-based prison planned
The Herald Democrat (Texas)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6312

Governor supports bill to allow religious expression in school:
Opponents say bill violates Constitution
Austin-American Statesman (Texas)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6317

Center transforming lives
Sapulpa Daily Herald (Oklahoma)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6313

Ex-User Writes Of Drug Struggle; Author Hopes Book Helps Others In Fight
The Arizona Republic

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=6314