Faith-Based Conference in Buffalo a Success

On May 22, 2003 nearly 200 people attended a special conference in Buffalo, New York, that was geared for faith-based and community organizations. The conference was sponsored by the HUD Field Office in Buffalo in partnership with the U.S. Departments of Education, Health and Human Services-Administration for Children and Families, Labor - Employment and Training Administration, Agriculture - Food and Nutrition Service, and the National Congress for Community Economic Development (NCCED). The HUD Secretary's top regional representative, Marisel Morales, was the keynote speaker.

The conference focused on how smaller community-based social service providers can create partnerships and access programs to help homeless persons, at-risk young people, the elderly and disabled, and those on public assistance. Conference workshops were designed to provide participants with positive models for their work; to address administrative and organizational challenges; and to assist them to determine the appropriateness of government assistance for their service needs.

Emphasizing this focus, in her keynote address, Marisel Morales, HUD's Regional Director for New York and New Jersey stated, "We hope that smaller faith-based and community organizations leave this conference understanding that we have much to learn from them, not the other way around...President Bush is intent on opening the door of opportunity to organizations who can most effectively meet the needs of our most vulnerable neighbors, regardless of whether they are faith-based or non-religious organizations."

Other key speakers at the conference included: Daniel Cassidy, Secretary's Regional Representative for the U.S. Department of Education; Mary Ann Higgins, Regional Administrator, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; John Ghiorzi, Deputy Regional Administrator, U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service, N.E. Region; and, Lori Stanislaus, Faith-Based Liaison, Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor.

Additional HUD resources for faith-based and community organizations can be found on the Internet.