wfn.org | Agency increases allocations to faith groups

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

June 16, 2000 News media contact: Linda Bloom·(212) 870-3803·New York
10-71B{279}

NOTE: This report is a sidebar to UMNS story #278.

NEW YORK (UMNS) - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
has allocated $20 million in its 2001 budget to increase the role of
faith-based and community-based organizations in the programs it funds.

The new "Community and Interfaith Partnerships Initiative" would focus on
such efforts as providing services to homeless families; expanding the
supply of affordable housing; helping to implement the housing voucher
program; sponsoring community economic development activities; providing
community-based services such as child care, job training and
transportation; and working with the community to promote greater
understanding of fair housing laws.

The competitive grants would provide technical assistance to these
organizations to increase their capacity to serve more families and to
adhere to church/state guidelines.

HUD announced two other new initiatives on June 15. The agency will award
$10 million in partnership development grants in at least 20 cities so that
faith-based groups can help families find and keep housing through the use
of Section 8 rental assistance vouchers.

Ten Cisco Networking Academy sites also will be opened in nontraditional
sites, such as public and HUD-assisted housing complexes, empowerment zones
and HUD neighborhood network centers. The schools train at-risk young people
from 16 to 25 years old in computer skills.  

The Rev. Joseph Hacala, a Jesuit priest, serves as the special assistant for
interfaith and community outreach at HUD. His telephone number is (202)
708-2404. Further information about HUD programs can be found at the
agency's Web site, www.hud.gov.

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