Lutheran Services in America Challenges Bush to Stay Involved

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.

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