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About Us - Our History
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Faith Partners is a nonprofit organization formed by several El Paso County churches in response to legislation entitled “The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996”. This federal legislation constitutes the most recent and most comprehensive welfare reform law enacted by the Congress and seeks to replace “hand-out” policy with a new “hands-up” policy. In effect, families on public assistance will have benefits terminated within two years and are now limited to a five year lifetime cap on assistance. Able-bodied persons are now required to participate in job training or self-employment in order to receive any assistance. Other provisions also apply which limit future public assistance.
Through this legislation the U.S. Congress has recognized that the issues of separation of church and state should be laid aside and that there is a need for partnerships between churches and local government to effectively implement this legislation. Now under Section 104, entitled Charitable Choice, local government is permitted to contract with churches and religious institutions to effect key provisions of welfare to work. As an outreach of several churches and caring communities working together Faith Partners will assist individuals and families who desire to leave their welfare dependency but require additional support in dealing with the many issues that arise as people transition from welfare to work.
Since June of 1999, we have been contracting with the El Paso County Department of Human Services to develop mentoring teams that are trained and prepared to lend encouragement, support and life skills coaching to families desiring to get off of welfare. All teams we train are volunteer mentors who commit for a minimum of twelve months to serve in their ministry to a family. The role of the Department of Human Services is to provide access to mentors for those families who desire the support services of our mentors. This is being accomplished through referrals and the widespread distribution of materials to clients about Faith Partners services. |
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