Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives
On January 29, 2001 President Bush issued two Executive Orders related
to faith-based and community organizations. One established a White House
Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, which has been operational
since February 20, 2001. The other required the Department of Housing
and Urban Development, along with Departments of Labor, Justice, Education,
and Health and Human Services, to establish Centers for Faith-Based and
Community Initiatives within their departments. Robin McDonald is the
director of the HUD Center.
Over the next several months, the Center will be leading a comprehensive
Department-wide inventory of how programs may be made more accessible
to faith-based and community groups. The Centers are required to
produce annual reports to the White House. The first report is due
July 27, 2001 and will be the basis for future action by the Department.
You may access the Executive Orders at http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/20010129-3.html.
The Executive Order requires the center to conduct
an annual audit of barriers that prevent the full participation of faith-based
and community organizations. The Center has conducted an internal inventory
of 25 HUD programs and reported the findings to the White House Center for Faith-Based
and Community Initiatives on July 27th, 2001. This report will be released
soon to the public soon, and will be the basis for future action by the
Center and the Department. Access the Executive Orders at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/01/20010129-3.html
.