| A Faith-based
Program that Works
Jobs Partnership: Co-founder
spoke to business, religious leaders about helping people
get on their feet
Summer 2001 - American Institute
for Full Employment
The House recently passed a watered
down version of President Bush’s plan to provide government
funding for the social work of religious charities. Eeking
out a 233 to 198 victory, the measure grants up to $13 billion
in tax relief by allowing people who do not itemize their
taxes to deduct $25 in charitable contributions. The plan
also lets people over age 70 make tax-free charitable contributions
from their Individual Retirement Accounts and raises the
cap for deductible corporate charitable donations from 10
to 15 percent.
“In my town, religious institutions are the bedrock
of a community,” said Representative Ronnie Shows,
D-Mississippi. He defended the measure saying it would allow
those in need “to receive services from those who
know them the best.” But, both civil rights and religious
groups have criticized the bill.
Opponents fear that providing federal funds to religious
organizations would violate the constitution’s separation
of church and state. The White House says that religious
groups could use the money to proselytize. Perhaps surprisingly,
many religious leaders worry that the bigger danger is not
religion intruding upon government, but government intruding
upon religion.
One faith-based organization that shares this sentiment
is The Jobs Partnership (TJP). The program is one of the
most successful in the country and refuses government money.
Started in Raleigh, North Carolina, by paving contractor
Chris Mangum and pastor Donald McCoy, their mission is “to
bring churches and businesses together to mentor, train
and employ our country’s neediest citizens, moving
them from dependency to self-sufficiency as productive citizens
of the community and to true wellness.”
Operating in 20 cities, TJP serves as a unique model for
faith-based organizations. More than 1,100 individuals have
participated in the 12-week life and job skill classes.
And since the program’s inception in 1995, 83 percent
of participants are still working.
The TJP model differs significantly from a job placement
service. While a placement service screens people to meet
known needs of employers, TJP addresses the individual needs
of job seekers and maps a career path to meet their aspirations
and skills.
TJP training consists of a 12-week biblical curriculum that
teaches basic work principles and job readiness skills.
Each student is sponsored by a local church, which provides
a mentor. Mentors support students through the classes and
first years of employment. This support helps participants
overcome many obstacles such as childcare, transportation,
low self-esteem, a lack of problem solving skills, and poor
work ethic.
Though faith-based, TJP’s goal is to help people find
jobs, not to convert them. Executive Director Skip Long
stated, “We in The Jobs Partnership have a Christian,
biblical world-view. That’s who we are. But how we
operate, is that we will walk with any neighbor no matter
what their faith background is and help them find employment.”
So while Congress battles out whether to allow faith-based
groups to compete with secular organizations for money to
help the needy, TJP refuses federal funding. What’s
more, if TJP meets its five year goal, it will not only
let government keep its money, it will save taxpayers over
$160 million.
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