Title: Lutheran Services in America Challenges Bush to Stay Involved
ELCA NEWS SERVICE
January 30, 2001
LUTHERAN SERVICES IN AMERICA CHALLENGES BUSH TO STAY INVOLVED
01-017-FI
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Lutheran Services in America (LSA) welcomed
President Bush's initiative to give faith-based organizations more
leverage in securing government grants. The organization went on to
remind him that government is a necessary partner in addressing human
needs.
"We're heartened that President Bush says he wants faith-based
organizations to have a place at the table, but we hope that the
government will not vacate its essential seat at that table," said
Joanne Negstad, LSA president and CEO, St. Paul, Minn.
LSA is one of the largest human service networks in the United
States and Caribbean. Its 280 social ministry organizations, in
alliance with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and The
Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, form a national network of social
service and long-term care programs providing services in 3,000
communities each year.
Negstad made her comments Jan. 29 in Washington after Bush
appointed John J. DiIulio Jr. to head a new White House Office of Faith-
Based and Community Initiatives. Through an executive order, Bush
created counterpart offices in five Cabinet-level departments to promote
competition for billions of dollars in government grants -- competition
that would include religious groups. The president also proposed
several tax incentives to encourage charitable giving.
"President Bush has made a good start," said Negstad, "but make no
mistake -- without follow-up and funding that continues government's
partnership with organizations such as ours, too many people will
continue to go without food or a home."
Negstad said faith-based organizations cannot be expected to
shoulder the entire burden for helping the country's most vulnerable.
LSA recently released a report that says it spends nearly $7
billion each year on its services. A survey revealed that some services
had to be discontinued because of lack of funding.
Forty-three percent of LSA's programs have extensive waiting lists
for affordable housing, services for people with developmental
disabilities, mental health and counseling services, independent living
facilities, assisted living facilities, skilled long-term nursing care
and other services.
"If we're coming up short," Negstad asked, "how on earth can the
other faith-based organizations meet the burgeoning need of America's
poor and sick?"
LSA gets 39 percent of its total revenue from government funding,
but its emergency care and other community services rely on government
funding for more than half of their revenue.
"With our current funding we still have waiting lists of people
who desperately need help. If we cannot help all of the people who come
to us now, how can we help more people unless we are given the money to
do so?" asked Negstad.
Separation of Church and State
Bush's proposals have come under fire because some fear that they
blur the distinction between church and state. Negstad acknowledged the
concerns, but said they should not override the most important point --
to get help to those who need it.
"Church and state are separate, but they are bridged by a common
desire to help the country's most needy. We are encouraged by President
Bush's actions and hope that he intends to do more than wave from his
side of the bridge," Negstad said.
"We've received state money for many years to support our
programs," said Kurt Senske, president and CEO, Lutheran Social Services
of the South, Austin, Texas. "What's new is the recognition that we
provide a value-added service that the government cannot," he said.
A faith-based organization is able to attract "employees and
volunteers who simply want to make a difference" and are less bound by
bureaucracy, said Senske. The same organization can offer "spiritual
care" through programs that are not supported by tax dollars, he said.
"We can provide an added dimension that can really make the treatment
process complete."
While governor of Texas, President Bush "established a culture and
climate in which it was OK for faith-based organizations to use
spiritual care in their treatment programs and recognized that it
works," said Senske. "He brought to light that faith-based
organizations are good at what they do and need support, and we hope he
can do the same thing now that he's in Washington," he said.
Some critics of Bush's proposal say federal money may tempt well-
meaning but unqualified groups to start programs.
"Provide faith-based organizations with the same access to
government funds," Senske countered, "but hold them to the same
standards as other organizations competing for those funds." He said
organizations like Lutheran Social Services of the South meet the same
standards as federal or state agencies serving U.S. citizens.
-- -- --
Lutheran Services in America maintains information about its
organization at <http://www.lutheranservices.org/> on the Web.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html
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