American Churches Step in to Help During the Govt. Shutdown…

Where the federal government is pulling back, churches are looking to step up.

Amid the Trump administration’s funding cuts and the ongoing government shutdown, houses of worship have felt a responsibility to step up services for students, immigrants and others who are struggling. From increases in anti-hunger initiatives to programs for federal workers who have been furloughed, religious leaders say all their efforts and more are deeply needed right now.

“We have run a series of free workshops on headshots, resumes and LinkedIn profiles really helping federal workers,” said Rev. Meredith Lovell Keseley, senior pastor at Abiding Presence Lutheran Church in Burke, Va.

“We have found that it is essential the church step into the space with federal workers to, first and foremost, affirm that the work that they’ve done matters — it’s important and that the loudest voice that they hear are voices of gratitude for their federal service. Then, second, that they have gifts and skills, and those gifts and skills are needed in the world, and we want to walk alongside them to help them figure out where God is calling them next,” she added….

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The cuts have spread far, affecting not only direct government services but the vast networks of nonprofit groups that supplement their work.

“In terms of significant funding cuts, there are organizations, including church-affiliated organizations that we’ve worked with for decades” that saw funding cuts “overnight,” said Susannah Cunningham, senior director for the Building Resilient Communities team at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, highlighting these groups did work in legal services, education opportunities and other issues.

She said some groups needed churches to fill in the funding gap “to ensure that high school programming” and other initiatives continued “for vulnerable populations.”

While churches across the country are seeing increased need and are looking to step up to the plate, advocates are worried their efforts won’t be enough….

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