Poverty

The head of the White House's faith-based office will join a diverse and bi-partisan group of pastors and community leaders for a symposium this month that complements a large-scale anti-poverty campaign.

Joshua Dubois, director of the White House Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, will speak at the symposium "Loving thy Neighbor: Barriers & Breakthroughs in the D.C. Metroplex" hosted by Nyack College's Washington, D.C.-based branch on April 30.

Issues that will be discussed during the symposium include gentrification, race and culture divides, utilization of community development corporations, development of leaders from the "hood" to the boardroom, and creating effective partnerships. more >>

World Vision International, the world's largest Christian humanitarian organization, announced a new head this week.

Kevin Jenkins, managing director of a Canadian investment firm and vice chair of the board of World Vision Canada, has been appointed as the organization's new president and chief executive officer.

The WVI board combed through 300 candidates from 40 countries before selecting Jenkins during its semi-annual meeting in Kenya last week. more >>

WASHINGTON - Public policy and philanthropy experts are still wrestling with the implications of President Obama’s proposal to reduce tax deduction on charitable donations - a move that has sparked uproar in the nonprofit sector.

Those opposed to the proposal argue that it would have a dire effect on charitable giving, pointing to one recent independent analysis, which suggested that contributions could drop as much as $3.87 billion for the already hurting nonprofit sector.

According to the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, overall giving would drop 2.1 percent, with a decrease by 4.8 percent, or $3.87 billion, among the highest-income households. more >>

WASHINGTON – Christian leaders joined anti-poverty and policy experts Wednesday to urge the U.S. Congress to preserve the priorities within President Obama’s proposed national budget that would assist low-income and poor communities.

“A budget is a moral document,” said Jim Wallis, president of Sojourners – the largest network of progressive Christians in the nation – during a teleconference. “It reveals our priorities – who’s important, what’s important, [and] what’s a part of our agenda.”

For faith leaders across the political spectrum, Wallis noted, the issue of poverty has in recent years brought them together despite their differences. He added that for the “first time in a long time” the president’s budget does prioritize the needs of the poor. more >>

NEW YORK – One of every 50 American children experiences homelessness, according to a new report that says most states have inadequate plans to address the worsening and often-overlooked problem.

The report being released Tuesday by the National Center on Family Homelessness gives Connecticut the best ranking. Texas is at the bottom.

"These kids are the innocent victims, yet it seems somehow or other they get left out," said the center's president, Dr. Ellen Bassuk. "Why are they America's outcasts?" more >>