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Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships Blog

  • Honoring a Legacy and Empowering the Future

    Posted by Anna Leach on April 11, 2011 at 10:39 AM EDT

    Department of Education honors the legacy of Dr. Dorothy Irene Height

    Rev. Brenda Girton-Mitchell and Denise Forth.

    “You need a positive approach in order to work for change because you have to believe that even if you cannot bring it about all by yourself, you can still make a difference.”-Dorothy Height

    On March 24, the Department of Education Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships hosted “Woman and Girls Winning the Future through Education.” The event honored the legacy of Dr. Dorothy Irene Height and focused on empowering women of all ages to become involved with education issues in their individual communities to raise achievement levels. The center partnered with the Black Women’s Roundtable which is a part of the National Coalition for Black Civic Participation. Also women from local community and faith-based organizations, and federal employees from across the government attended the event. Senior leadership from both the Department of Education and the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships to discuss school turnaround, mentoring, college completion and other issues pertinent to women and girls.

    During the event, we hosted a roundtable discussion where attendees shared their ideas on how communities can be involved in their schools and bring positive change. Participants suggested ways to encourage corporations to fund programs; encourage individuals to use personal networks to connect teachers with resources; and increase communication with all individuals and agencies (teachers, parents, local school districts, state governments, federal branches) in a way that supports schoolchildren today. Participants also suggested expanding mentor programs in schools, ideas on how to get parents involved, and how we can get corporations to invest in students. Many new inspiring ideas were born at the event.

    Includes Photo Gallery
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  • When It’s For Veterans, What Happens In Vegas Doesn’t Stay In Vegas

    Posted by Rev. E. Terri LaVelle on April 8, 2011 at 1:00 PM EDT

    As the Director of VA Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships (CFBNP), I have the privilege of meeting individuals and organizations from across the country working with, and on behalf of, Veterans.  Late February at a Veterans Roundtable in Las Vegas, Nevada, I spoke to approximately 180 faith-based and community leaders from across the state that are committed to serving the needs of Veterans, their families and survivors in their local communities.

    VA and the CFBNP know the significance and importance of faith-based and community organizations to the lives of individuals and families.  We are also aware that these groups and individuals need as much information as possible in order to assist our Veterans, their families and survivors.  The speakers for the Las Vegas Veterans Roundtable spoke to concerns and issues relevant to the community and attendees.  Each attendee was given a card to write down their question(s) for the Open Forum or to pass along with their contact information to local VA staff in attendance.  This provided a way for questions to get answered publically or privately.

    Employment and housing are key areas of concern.  Questions were addressed by speakers from Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) Service and the Reno Regional Program VR&E on hiring Veterans with service connected disabilities, job placement strategies, special employer incentives and on-the-job training.  Speakers from the VA Southern Nevada Medical Center discussed the challenges and resources available to Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF) Veterans.

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  • Here’s What You Had to Say….Part 5

    Posted by Vicky Marquez on April 7, 2011 at 7:12 PM EDT

    Thank you to everyone who reads our blog, participates in our events and takes the time to let us know how you feel.  We realize that everyone is busy and we appreciate you taking the time to contact. Check out some of what your fellow citizens had to say and send us your thoughts.  Love it, hate it, we want to know.  You can send us your comments or read past comments.

    SBA

    Thank you so much for coming out to ERDA.  We learned so much from meeting with you – the package of services SBA offers we are certain will have a tremendous impact on the communities we serve, and we are so appreciative that you took the time to explain the full range of services you offer (especially the Micro-lender Intermediary Program).
    - J. Reiss, NY

    [In reaction to the Microloan Intermediary Roadmap]
    This is fabulous!
    - Joyce L., Washington, D.C.

    USDA

    [In response to the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) Webinar]
    Please send me seminar material and any other material that would facilitate start[ing] my own site.  It was excellent! I am very eager to start, as soon as possible. Thank you!
    - Dr. Onelia Fajardo, Miami, Florida 

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  • Grant Opportunities and Resources for Community and Faith-based Organizations

    Posted by Vicky Marquez on March 31, 2011 at 10:36 AM EDT

    This is second in a series where we highlight grant opportunities and resources available for organizations like yours.  This list is not exclusive so please be sure to check out the latest updates from grants.gov to see the range of opportunities your organization is eligible for.  You can also sign up for email alerts when new grant opportunities are posted.  Click here to see our initial posting on this topic area.

    Please note: neither the Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships nor the Agency Centers administer or manage grant programs and we are not involved in the grant award process.  This list is just the beginning of grant opportunities and is not meant to be a comprehensive list.  

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  • Help Feed Hungry Kids this Summer! Learn More on March 29th

    Posted by Max Finberg on March 28, 2011 at 1:43 PM EDT

    Spring has only started, but it is already time to start thinking about the summer.   Each summer, 22.3 million students are at risk of going hungry when the school year ends and school lunches are no longer available. For many children, school meals are the only complete and nutritious meals they eat, and in the summer they go without. 

    We want to make sure that no child in the U.S. goes to bed hungry, whether school is in session or out.  We can only do that with the help of faith-based and community organizations.  Organizations can get free meals for kids this summer by being a site or sponsor in the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP).  SFSP is a federally funded program administered by states that reimburses organizations for meals served to children during the summer.   

    On Tuesday March 29th, from 3pm to 4pm Eastern DaylightTime, USDA’s Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, in partnership with USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service, will be hosting a one-hour webinar targeted towards faith-based organizations.  Our hope is that congregations and community organizations will join us to learn how this program can help them get free food to feed kids in their communities.

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  • Obama Administration Continues Support for Youth in Foster Care

    Posted by Michael Wear on March 24, 2011 at 11:12 AM EDT

    Earlier this month, The White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships (WHOFBNP) hosted a conference call with the Domestic Policy Council and the Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF) at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to discuss the President’s budget proposals for child welfare and foster care, and it also touched on a recent change regarding nutrition assistance for children.  The call featured Joshua DuBois, Director of WHOFBNP; Martha Coven, Special Assistant to the President for Mobility and Opportunity; Bryan Samuels, Commissioner for ACYF; Max Finberg, Director of the Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships at the U.S. Department of Agriculture; and Mara Vanderslice, Acting Director of the Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships at HHS.

    The first topic of the call was an important announcement from USDA that all children placed into the foster care system will now be eligible to receive free meals in all USDA child nutrition programs.  This change was made possible by the Healthy, Hungry-Free Kids Act of 2010 which President Obama signed into law late last year.  David Hansell, HHS Acting Assistant Secretary for Children and Families, described why this announcement is so powerful:

    “Ensuring foster children have access to healthy, balanced and nutritious meals without the burden of unnecessary eligibility paperwork shows our commitment in providing the best quality of life for many deserving children and their families.”

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