March 11, 2005
March 14 Symposium to Strengthen Government, Faith, Community Partnerships
March 11, 2005
LANSING - The Granholm Administration will sponsor a day-long symposium in Lansing on Monday, March 14, that is designed to strengthen the partnership between state government and faith and community leaders.
Governor Jennifer M. Granholm will address the symposium at 9:30 a.m. at the Lansing Center, 333 E. Michigan Avenue and will be available to the media at approximately 10 a.m.
"This administration is working every day to protect our state's children and strengthen our families," said Granholm. "Michigan's faith-based community is so often engaged in the very same critical work. There are rich opportunities for partnership in mentoring children, in helping citizens train for new work, in helping senior citizens, and in so much more. I look forward to working with our faith-based partners to help make Michigan's families stronger, so our state can be stronger."
The first annual "Governor's Faith-Based and Community Resource Symposium" is expected to draw more than 700 faith and community leaders from across the state. During the symposium, Granholm will announce the creation of a state office for community and faith-based initiatives. Granholm's office has been engaged in community and faith-based outreach since early 2003. Creation of a new office will formalize the efforts. Both the symposium and the new office will focus on supporting the critical community support services that faith-based organizations provide.
The new state office for community and faith-based initiatives will provide a single point of contact for community and faith-based organizations hoping to partner with the State to provide critical social services in local communities. The office will maximize coordination of information on applying for state and federal grants, on becoming a provider of state- and federally-supported community assistance, and on partnering with the State on its key initiatives.
Greg Roberts, director of community and faith-based initiatives for the Granholm Administration, said the new office is the direct result of the administration's effort to build a stronger link between faith leaders and state government over the past two years.
"Community and faith-based organizations are on the front line of providing critical services to our citizens," said Roberts. "Our goal is to close the gap between that front line and the bottom line. By providing access to information, we can support those organizations that are making a real difference in people's lives."
Roberts pointed out that as the federal government expands programming for faith-based organizations, this new office will serve as a conduit to maximize opportunities to capture funding and support for Michigan organizations.
In addition to Granholm, the first annual Faith-Based and Community Resource Symposium will also feature Michael Brennan, president and CEO of United Way Community Services in Metropolitan Detroit. Workshops with state and federal officials will focus on accessing information on available state and federal grant programs and becoming a provider of state- and federally-supported social services. The symposium will also include forums on the Michigan Prisoner ReEntry Initiative, civil rights issues, gaining access to affordable housing, and fighting poverty and addiction.
Reverend Oscar King, pastor of the Northwest Unity Missionary Baptist Church in Detroit and first vice president of the Council of Baptist Pastors, describes the symposium as a "revolutionary event."
"Bringing all of these people together and giving them a map on how government works is an extraordinary endeavor," said King. "I believe this is just the beginning of an annual process that will encourage more people on the outside to ask questions and become involved with those on the inside."
Granholm underscored that the symposium and the office solidify her belief that both government and faith-based organizations have a critical role to play in protecting the most vulnerable of our society.
"Creation of a new state office for community and faith-based initiatives will provide a direct resource to our state's front line service providers who confirm every day my core belief that there are no throwaway citizens in our state," Granholm said. "The new bottom line for these organizations is a need for streamlined access to funds, contracts for services, resources, and capacity-building assets."
For more information about the first annual Governor's Faith-Based and Community Resource Symposium, contact Karen Hodges at 517-371-4360 or Greg Roberts at 313-456-0015. To learn more about the symposium, visit www.michigan.org/ocfbi
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