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Welcome to "Ask the White House" -- an online interactive forum where you can submit questions to Administration officials and friends of the White House. Visit the "Ask the White House" archives to read other discussions with White House officials.
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June 25, 2008
Jay Hein
Good afternoon. It's a pleasure to participate in Ask the White House again, and I'm pleased that you joined me. Tomorrow is an exciting day for my office. We are hosting a national conference called "Innovations in Effective Compassion" and over 1,000 have registered to attend. Headlining the event, President Bush will give a landscape view of what the Faith-Based and Community Initiative (FBCI) has achieved since he launched the Initiative over seven years ago. The conference bring together faith-based and community leaders of all stripes, as well as policymakers and others, to explore the scope and scale of the Initiative's impact and what the future holds now that this foundation has been laid. I'm pleased to take your questions. Michael, from Powell, Tn writes: Jay Hein
The National Conference is being held in Washington, D.C., at the Omni Shoreham Hotel. As always, the event is open to the public. However, we have currently reached maximum capacity for this conference. If you are interested in future conferences, you can visit www.fbci.gov to sign up for our conferences being held in Sacramento, CA and Dallas, TX in August 2008.
John, from Savannah, GA writes: Jay Hein Kyle, from San Francisco writes: Jay Hein
Thanks for your interest. The "Portraits of Compassion" winners will be screened tomorrow at our National Conference here in Washington, D.C. Please check back tomorrow at www.fbci.gov for links to the winning videos.
Don, from Los Angeles, CA writes: Jay Hein
Thank you for your desire to serve your community. Our Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development offers grant-writing workshops across the country (see http://www.hud.gov/offices/fbci/grantwriting08.cfm). Also, there are many resources on the White House website, www.fbci.gov, which will help point you to foundational information on how to get started. Our office will be hosting a regional conference in California in August that would also provide you with invaluable information as you begin your program. Since it is usually best to build up local support and at least some track record of success before seeking Federal grants, you may also want to see if there is an organization funded by the FBCIs Compassion Capital Fund in your area that could help you grow and develop these elements in the near term. Best of luck as you endeavor to serve your neighbors.
Cliff, from Brimfield, Ohio
writes: Jay Hein
This is a great question. Faith-based and community groups play a vital role in responding to the greatest needs of our day, and disasters are no exception. Disaster preparation, response and recovery are most effective when working in a collaboration that draws upon the complementary strengths of the public, private and non-profit sectors. Our Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, as well as Faith-based and Community liaisons in various states, have been instrumental in growing partnerships with faith-based and community groups who are often first on the scene in times of distress. Peter, from Long Island, NY writes: Jay Hein At the beginning of this Administration, and for the first time in this nations history, the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives released a document outlining how faith-based and community organizations can and cannot use Federal money. It makes clear that groups receiving Federal money "may not discriminate against a person seeking help who is eligible for the service." Nor can they use any funds received directly from the Federal government for any religious activities. This principle and many other important "do's and don'ts" have been taught at each one of our 35 regional conferences held across this nation over the past seven years.
For more guidelines on what an organization can and cannot do with Federal money, please visit: http://www.whitehouse.gov/government/fbci/guidance/index.html. Kim, from Kentucky writes: Jay Hein As you may know, each year, more than 650,000 inmates are released from state and Federal prisons each year, and statistics predict two out of three of these individuals will be re-arrested within three years. President Bush said in his 2004 State of the Union Address, America is the land of the second chance, and when the gates of prison open, the path ahead should lead to a better life. The Faith-Based and Community Initiative has worked to make frontline, community nonprofits central allies in helping make this a reality. One of the most important ways weve done this is through the Presidents Prisoner Reentry Initiative (PRI), which funds nonprofits to help ex-prisoners successfully reintegrate into their communities including mentoring, case management, education, job training, job placement and other essential wrap-around transitional services. By partnering with faith-based and community groups men and women are being met with the needed resources and caring support to overcome the overwhelming barriers that await them outside of prison. Im very happy to report that former prisoners served by PRIs many faith-based and other community organization partners are re-arrested at rates much less than half the national average.
Jay Hein |