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Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships Blog

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Strengthening Efforts to Increase Opportunity and End Poverty

The President's final Advisory Council for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships submitted its report of recommendations to increase opportunity and end poverty
October 27, 2016 at 4:12 PM ET by Melissa Rogers

Partnering to Prepare

Community and faith-based organizations, businesses, and volunteers are key parts of a disaster response and recovery
September 18, 2016 at 1:49 PM ET by Raymond J. Piper

Remembering the Victims of the Oak Creek Attack

As we mark the four-year anniversary of the tragedy at the Oak Creek Gurdwara, the Obama Administration continues its commitment to protecting all places of worship.
August 5, 2016 at 4:17 PM ET by Melissa Rogers and Taylor Ross

Combating Religious Discrimination Today

The Administration is taking new steps to combat religious discrimination.
July 22, 2016 at 9:30 AM ET by Melissa Rogers

Welcoming and Celebrating Refugees: An Interfaith Iftar in Honor of World Refugee Day

U.S. Secretary of State John F. Kerry and Special Envoy of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Angelina Jolie Pitt participate in an Interfaith Iftar reception
June 24, 2016 at 3:54 PM ET by Shaarik H. Zafar

Your Right to Fair Housing: What Does Your Congregation Need to Know?

Every April, HUD celebrates “Fair Housing Month” to mark the passage of the Fair Housing Act.
April 27, 2016 at 5:00 PM ET by Paula Lincoln

Why We #EngageAmerica and the World on Religion and Foreign Policy

The State Department has long recognized the importance of active engagement with nearly every sector of society in its foreign engagement and policymaking[...]
April 26, 2016 at 9:00 PM ET by Shaun Casey, Office of Religion and Global Affairs, U.S. Department of State

Agencies Issue Final Rule Extending New Religious Liberty Protections to Beneficiaries

Agencies publish final rule to provide new religious liberty protections for beneficiaries of federally-funded social service programs.
March 31, 2016 at 8:46 AM ET by Melissa Rogers

Honoring MLK Jr. Through Acts of Service

Melissa Rogers provides reflections on the 2016 Martin Luther King Jr. Day and community service in Washington, DC.
January 22, 2016 at 6:07 PM ET by Melissa Rogers, Executive Director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships

Honoring MLK Jr. Through Acts of Service

Melissa Rogers provides reflections on the 2016 Martin Luther King Jr. Day and community service in Washington, DC.
January 22, 2016 at 4:33 PM ET by Melissa Rogers, Executive Director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships

President Obama's Final State of the Union: Moving Forward Together in 2016 and Beyond

Melissa Rogers, Executive Director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, reflects on the President's final State of the Union Address.
January 20, 2016 at 5:39 PM ET by Melissa Rogers

In Ferguson, Missouri, The Community and Schools are Working Together

The Department of Education Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships visits Ferguson, MO to meet with community leaders. Learn more about this partnership.
December 11, 2015 at 1:00 AM ET by Rev. Brenda Girton-Mitchell

Advancing Shared Values for a Better World

On September 23, 2015, President Obama welcomed His Holiness Pope Francis to the White House. To mark this historic visit, the President is pursuing a variety of initiatives to advance shared values and objectives.
October 2, 2015 at 11:51 AM ET by Melissa Rogers

Fifth Annual President's Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge

Educators and students from around the world were invited to attend the President's Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge Gathering on September 9-11, 2015.
September 15, 2015 at 5:07 PM ET by Melissa Rogers

USDA Training Benefits Child Nutrition Program, Increases Access to Healthy Meals

In the Team Up for School Nutrition Success Initiative, Thomas J. Smith learned about best practices to ensure his schools' most needy students get healthy meals.
August 18, 2015 at 1:41 PM ET by Thomas J. Smith

Promoting Common-Ground Reforms of Social Service Partnerships

The administration takes a step toward reforms to strengthen partnerships between federal government and faith-based/community organizations to serve people in need.
August 5, 2015 at 9:49 AM ET by Melissa Rogers

Deal Gives Back

When Alice Deal Middle School reached out to the USDA, we were eager to welcome over 100 seventh graders to talk about the importance of environmental awareness.
June 18, 2015 at 3:15 PM ET by Meryl Harrell and Norah Deluhery

Pro Bono Service: Harnessing Time and Talent for Social Good

The White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships and the Department of Commerce’s Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships hosted leaders from the nonprofit, private sector, and faith-based communities for an event titled “Pro Bono Service: Harnessing Time and Talent for Social Good.”
May 29, 2015 at 4:33 PM ET by Melissa Rogers

3 Important Thoughts the President Shared on Poverty in America:

President Obama sat down with Harvard professor Robert Putnam and American Enterprise Institute president Arthur Brooks to share his views on poverty in America.
May 13, 2015 at 1:08 PM ET by Tanya Somanader

Taking Our Nation’s Daughters and Sons to Work

The Office of Management and Administration is working with the White House Council on Women and Girls and My Brother’s Keeper Initiative to expand our event to provide work-based learning opportunities for youth from the local Washington, D.C. area.
March 27, 2015 at 11:54 AM ET by Katy Kale

The Future of Religion and Diplomacy

March 24, 2015 at 5:57 PM ET by Shaun Casey

President Obama Joins the Dalai Lama at This Year's National Prayer Breakfast

Continuing a longstanding tradition among U.S. presidents, President Obama heads to the Washington Hilton to speak at the National Prayer Breakfast.
February 5, 2015 at 5:58 PM ET by David Hudson

A Re-Commitment to Service: Interfaith Service to Honor Martin Luther King, Jr.

The staff of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships and Centers for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships joined the President, the First Lady, and countless others across the country in participating in community service projects.
February 2, 2015 at 5:18 PM ET by Taylor Lustig

Combating Human Trafficking in Supply Chains

The White House hosts a forum dedicated to combating human trafficking in supply chains. The event brought together leaders from the private sector, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and the federal government to talk about what we can do together to prevent and eliminate any instances of trafficking-related activities in federal contracts and in private-sector supply chains.
January 29, 2015 at 5:07 PM ET by Amy Pope

A Year of Progress Through Partnerships

Faith-based and community groups are often uniquely positioned to match people with the benefits, services, and protections they need. Sometimes these connections make the difference between a life of struggle and one of success.
December 22, 2014 at 5:11 PM ET by Melissa Rogers

Global Religious Leaders Issue Joint Call for Eradication of Modern Slavery

On December 2, the campaign to end human trafficking took a big step forward. Religious leaders from across the globe assembled at the Vatican on that day to sign a Joint Declaration of Religious Leaders Against Modern Slavery.
December 5, 2014 at 3:46 PM ET by Melissa Rogers and Mark Brinkmoeller

Uniting to End Anti-Semitism

On November 12 and 13, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) hosted a conference to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Berlin Conference on Anti-Semitism and the accompanying Berlin Declaration.
November 26, 2014 at 12:36 PM ET by Melissa Rogers and Ira Forman

President Obama Extends Warmest Wishes for Diwali

President Obama wishes a Happy Diwali to all those who celebrate the festival of lights.
October 22, 2014 at 3:15 PM ET by Kiran Ahuja and Ashley Allison

Kicking Off the Fourth Annual Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge

The White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, Department of Education, and Corporation for National and Community Service hosted a gathering to kick off the President’s Fourth Annual Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge.
September 26, 2014 at 4:22 PM ET by Melissa Rogers

Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of AmeriCorps and Our Country’s Commitment to Public Service

From our women and men in uniform to our educators to those who administer important government programs, each day millions of Americans give of themselves to ensure the safety, hope and livelihood of their neighbor. Without a doubt, one of the great things about the United States is the way in which the success of each of us is tied to the success of all of us. The AmeriCorps national service program, which celebrates its 20th anniversary today, is a fantastic representation of this.
September 12, 2014 at 4:20 PM ET by Joshua Dickson