This week, President George W. Bush established a faith-based and community initiative office in the White House.

The executive order creates an office that reports directly to the President, and will monitor the involvement of various government agencies to determine where contracting in this category is appropriate.

This second Executive Order removes some of the barriers and impediments that have made it difficult for these organizations to access federal programs and funds.

It also opens up new possibilities for public-private partnerships, and establishes five faith-based and community initiatives centers within the departments of justice, housing and urban development, labor, health and human services, and education.

Finally, it seeks to ensure that there is cooperation between these agencies of government and the faith-based sector.

Heading the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives is Steve Goldsmith, former Mayor of Indianapolis, who will serve as advisor and member of the Corporation of National Service. This organization is credited with having created a sizeable volunteer corps that has done exceptional work in community service.

The daily functions of the office will be in the capable hands of John Dilulio, who is a professor at the University of Pennsylvania. He has been one of the most articulate and forceful voices in America for education reform, addressing disparities in sentencing laws, and changing government structures to accommodate new ventures.

He combines the best of existing theory in these areas with an understanding of the pragmatism for realistic application in such a way that he has become arguably one of the most profound and influential social entrepreneurs in America.

He is also a respected author who has worked tirelessly with many of the leaders in the faith-based community in Philadelphia and across the nation.

The necessity for this new White House office is obvious to the many faith-based groups who, in many instances, are providing community services with very limited resources.

These faith-based institutions and community groups that are already providing assistance have established outstanding track records by offering additional services including; welfare to work, soup kitchens, housing counseling and development, and drug counseling. The new White House initiative will positively impact these programs by giving them access to the departments that have funds.

The establishment of the White House Office of Faith-based and Community Initiatives grows out of the President’s concern for the multitudes who have not benefited by America’s prosperity.

He has stated "there are still deep needs and real suffering in the shadow of America’s affluence; problems like addiction, abandonment, gang violence, mental illness, and homelessness." He believes that "we are called by conscience to respond."

Undoubtedly the constitutional purists will respond with challenges and even lawsuits.

It would be better for them to examine the constitutional mandate of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." That is a guarantee for every citizen of America; yet there are many who are dying much too young because of inadequate health care, lack of proper nutrition, too few dollars for drug treatment, and inability on the part of the status quo to see the problems because they don’t occur in their backyards.

One of the few entities that has been responsive to these needs – often with the most meager of resources – has been the faith-based institutions and/or local non-profit unity organizations. This initiative is designed to encourage these groups without changing their missions.