(published
in Dallas Morning News Dec. 22, 2002
and the Star Telegram on Dec. 23, 2002)
Faith-based
groups will benefit from Bush’s Order
(The following OpEd was written by Dr. Kurt Senske
in response to
President Bush’s faith-based initiative.)
Hallelujah!
President Bush has signed a series of executive
orders directing federal agencies to treat religious
and secular charities equally when awarding federal
money.
Lutheran Social Services of the South particularly
applauds Mr. Bush for his order directing the
Federal Emergency Management Agency to end its
policy of prohibiting religious nonprofits from
getting disaster relief funds.
We experienced that discrimination firsthand after
the New Life Children’s Residential Treatment
Center for troubled girls was flooded on July
4. When a spillway overflowed, the nearby New
Life campus was swamped. After floodwaters receded,
we were left with nearly $2 million in property
and operating losses.
New Life was established in 1993 in response to
Texas child welfare authorities who determined
there was a significant unmet need for intensive
psychiatric services for children with severe
emotional and behavioral problems stemming from
past abuse and/or neglect.
Because we were providing a much-needed public
service to the state of Texas, we believed we
qualified for federal disaster relief funds. We
applied for assistance to help rebuild the center,
which always has a waiting list.
Imagine our shock when we received a letter rejecting
our request “because one of the purposes
of the organization is ‘to bring the gospel
and ministrations of Christian love to those who
come within its sphere of services.’”
That single sentence, the sole rationale for rejecting
our request for disaster funds, was pulled from
our articles of incorporation written back in
1926 when the Lutheran Aid and Orphans’ Society
was created. We appealed, submitting reams of
documentation and holding numerous discussions
with disaster relief officials about the services
we provide. We reassured them that we don’t
discriminate against those we serve on the basis
of religion, race, sex or ethnicity and that the
spiritual care we offer is strictly voluntary.
Finally, in late September, we received word that
we were eligible to receive disaster relief funds.
Between the federal funds and an incredible outpouring
of support from the community, we have been able
to raise the money needed to rebuild New Life.
Thanks to the assistance of hundreds of volunteers
and contractors working long hours, we expect
to have the girls back on the campus by the end
of 2002.
It is our hope, and our prayer, that Mr. Bush’s
order gives a clear directive so that other faith-based
organizations don’t have to go through a
lengthy, expensive appeal process so they can
provide much-needed social services.
Dr. Kurt Senske is president and chief executive
officer of the Austin-based Lutheran Social Services
of the South.
