Seven Baskets, a faith-based nonprofit focused on community development in Columbus, Ohio, collaborates with the public sector to transform the lives of Ohio’s urban residents. Providing tutoring, extracurricular programs, meals, discipleship, and workforce development, this faith-based organization exemplifies the meaning of community renewal through its collaboration with other faith-based organizations, as well as through creative government partnerships. In this interview with Seven Baskets CEO JeffMansel, Sacred Sector Director Chelsea Langston Bombino identifies the ways Seven Baskets has uniquely partnered with the government to help nourish the Columbus, Ohio residents it serves.
This article will discuss organizational best practices for Michigan churches and faith-based organizations (FBOs) that receive, or are considering receiving, government grants or contracts. It emphasizes how an organization can maintain its faith-based mission and identity even if the organization is considering partnering with government. This resource will help an FBO consider guidelines for accepting government and private funds in a way that aligns with its sacred mission.
Healing Communities is an example of a faith-based nonprofit organization that works collaboratively with other sectors of society, including government, to empower returning citizens with spiritual and physical resource for societal reintegration. This article discusses the how Healing Communities partners with other programs and resources, like Sacred Sector, to build capacity to promote restorative justice. Healing Communities’ coordinator stated at a recent event: “Sacred Sector does have a spiritual calling to provide resources to ministries to do these things. So let them help you do them!”
Faith-based organizations and congregations often play a vital role in supporting the health and well-being of families, particularly mothers and young children. Many religious organizations believe the family is a foundational institution in society, created by God to serve as a first community for children. Many faith groups recognize the inherent beauty in God’s normative design for women to nurse their babies. By God’s great design, there is evidence-based research that shows how breastfeeding contributes to better whole-person (physical/mental, economic, relational) outcomes for all involved. Although breastfeeding is not always possible or practicable for every mother and child, there is strong evidence that breastfeeding has positive impacts on individual family members and on society.
By Chelsea Langston Bombino June 26, 2018 Last month, President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order revising the federal faith-based and community initiative. The initiative,…
Editor’s Note: This was originally published in Public Justice Review (Vol. 6, 2017). Pastor Cheryl Mitchell Gaines, J.D., M.Div, is the founder and Senior Pastor…
By Chelsea Langston Bombino We are living in a unique political and cultural moment–one where discussions are taking place about the need to strengthen communities….
By Chelsea Langston Bombino Last week, the University of Notre Dame was at the center of public discourse. Here is an account of what happened,…
Religious Freedom and the Social Safety Net
By Chelsea Langston Bombino Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Public Justice Review, Volume 6: “Freedom to Serve the Vulnerable.” The past four…