Hindu Americans Represented at National Meeting
On Faith Based Initiatives For Firtst Time
DATE: June 14, 2004
FROM: HINDU AMERICAN FOUNDATION
Hundreds of leaders of faith-based and community organizations from
across the United States attended the first Annual National
Conference on Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (FBCI) on June 1,
2004 in Washington D.C. Nikhil Joshi, Esq., a member of the Hindu
American Foundation (HAF) Board of Directors
(www.hinduamericanfoundation.org) represented Hindu Americans at the
conference hosted by the White House in association with various
government agencies for the first time.
David Caprara, Director of FBCI for the Corporation for National and
Community Service, an agency center for FBCI, wrote to HAF on June
12, 2004, appreciating the first-ever participation of Hindu
Americans in the FBCI dialogue at the national level. "[HAF's]
leadership, values, and service are greatly valued by us," said Mr.
Caprara.
Headlined by an address from President Bush and the Director of the
White House Office of FBCI, James Towey, the national conference
aimed to inform community leaders of ways in which to access the $1.1
billion earmarked for faith-based programs, a 15% increase compared
to last year. The speakers repeatedly emphasized the availability of
these funds to organizations and people of all faiths, regardless of
size, that propose social service projects such as food banks, health
centers, job training programs and other such efforts.
Reiterating the eligibility of all religious groups for faith-based
funding, President Bush said at the meeting attended by Mr.
Joshi, "When you hear me talk about faith, I'm talking about all
faiths, whether it be the Jewish faith or the Christian faith or the
Muslim faith or the Hindu faith -- all faiths have got the power to
transform lives."
Breakout sessions during the one-day conference guided attendees
through the Federal funding process, available funding opportunities,
the requirements that come with the receipt of Federal funds and
discussed the most innovative projects currently funded by the FBCI.
"Hindu organizations already maintain health care, domestic abuse and
prisoner rehabilitation service projects and may wish to consider
support from the FBCI," said Mr. Joshi, "As a representative of Hindu
Americans, the Hindu American Foundation's concern is to compile
information about the initiative directly from its source and make it
available to interested parties in the Hindu community."
Alka Patel, M.D., Member of the HAF Executive Council and coordinator
of FBCI for HAF, added that after hosting a Capitol Hill reception to
launch HAF on May 5, 2004, and having met with Mr. Caprara at the
White House Offices of FBCI, HAF is continuing in its mission to
establish an effective and credible voice for Hindu Americans.
The recently formed Hindu American Foundation (HAF) is a human rights
group whose purpose is to provide a voice for the 2 million strong
Hindu American community. HAF interacts with and educates government,
media, think tanks, academia and public fora about Hinduism and
issues of concern to Hindus locally and globally to promote
understanding, tolerance and pluralism.
For further information: Please contact and support HAF
http://www.hinduamericanfoundation.org/preview/membership.htm
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