Executive Summary

of Charles D. Clingman

Executive Director of The Jireh Development Corporation

And Elder of Christ Emmanuel Christian Fellowship Church

Submitted to

The Subcommittee on the Constitution of the House of Representatives

Oversight Hearing on ""State and Local Implementation of Existing Charitable Choice

Programs""

To be given on April 24, 2001 at 2:00 p.m.

Before I begin I would like to thank you for the opportunity to present my views and experiences as the director of a faith-based organization.

The debate concerning the relationship between the church and the state began centuries ago and it continues still in 2001. It is quite interesting to note that while the leaders of both sides continue to argue and disagree, many faith-based grassroots agencies are persevering, determined to provide services to the community that are so desperately needed for the survival of individuals who are in immediate crisis. There are many excellent programs in our communities across the United States that are making a tremendous impact upon individual''s lives. However, if they are at all like the program that I am here representing, they are also struggling to survive financially in order to deliver these services.

The government has been in the welfare business for almost seventy years. However, it has only served to ""perpetuate"" a welfare mentality. In 1996, as a direct result of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, states have been given three years to undo this ""welfare mentality"" that it took almost a quarter of a century to build. The problems, challenges, abuses, and the like did not occur in the community overnight. It is the direct result of poverty, racism, and yes, in some instances, absolute laziness. However, it''s going to take more than three years to make the long-term changes necessary to impact not only the life of one generation, but also of the generations to come. There are various reports and books currently being published about the effects of welfare reform including Lessons on Welfare Reform: An Analysis of the AFDC Caseload and Past Welfare to Work Programs by Dave M. O''Neill and June Ellenoff O''Neill and Economic Conditions and Welfare Reform by Sheldon H. Danzinger. We agree with their prognosis -- people will be returning to welfare -- what are we going to do to keep them from coming back?

I want to take the next few minutes to tell you about a program that is more than a program. It began as an ""inspired"" thought in the heart and mind of an individual who just ""happens"" to be a bishop of a three thousand-member congregation in Cincinnati, OH. It is a positive and successful example of the good that happened when a state and local government was willing to ""push the envelope"" and took a chance, on what was four years ago, a new and emerging faith-based program called The Exodus Program.

Christ Emmanuel Christian Fellowship began a social service agency in 1993 to address many of the requests from the community at-large for emergency food, utility and rent assistance. In addition the agency also featured a special needs adoption/recruitment component. After two years of serving the community, the leadership was challenged to get to the root of the problem instead of continually responding to individuals in crisis. Because our recidivism rate was very high, we instituted a policy that individuals would only receive assistance from our agency once every six months. As a direct result we began to receive calls from other agencies requesting information and/or assistance in helping the same persons whom we had turned down previously.

In 1996, in a Sunday morning service (the church''s boardroom), Bishop Michael E. Dantley began to speak inspirationally of an agency that would get to the root of people''s problems instead of giving them temporary assistance. He spoke of an agency that would instill vision and open people''s eyes to destiny and purpose and give them a sense of hope that their current circumstances did not have to determine their future. This was the initial birth of what has become known as The Exodus Program.

The vision for The Exodus Program is to see persons who are currently in the system of the department of human services, or unemployed, or classified as the working poor, freed from the bondages that consistently hold them back. It is to also see them freed from a dependent, victim mentality.

This will be accomplished through ministry to the whole man with the inculcation of vision and destiny into the thinking and thought processes of those involved in the ministry, as well as the building and/or refining of skills necessary to succeed in everyday life.

Those persons who have fully participated in Exodus will be able to:

• Obtain employment and maintain the same,

• Handle their personal financial responsibilities,

• Maneuver the labyrinth of daily interactions with business, governmental, and educational institutions,

• Involve themselves in preventative medical procedures, and

• More importantly, come to live the more than abundant life.

They will also be able to interface with and handle daily situations that arise in regular family life and walk in wholeness throughout the process of change, transition, and ultimate restoration.

The Exodus Program held its first workforce development class in April 1997. Over the past four years we have worked to design and fine-tune a program that would teach people how to go to work, stay on the job, manage a budget, pay their bills, prepare healthy foods, and how to become ""self-sufficient"" instead of depending upon an ""agency"" to bail them out of every crisis. We believe that if we increase an individual''s understanding of vision, destiny, and purpose, the building blocks of short and long- term goals will fall into place. This leads to greater job placement, retention, and the fulfillment of each individual''s goal of success.

We have served 2398 individuals since Exodus began four years ago and we have experienced overwhelming success. Of the 2398 we have served 494 in job readiness training and 1904 individuals in case management. Our graduation rate is at 71% and our employment/education rate is 69%. Exodus has received contracts from the city, the county, and the State of Ohio that total approximately $3,394,750. It is important to note that because the majority of our contracts are performance-based and in many instances we have had to depend upon the county department of human services for referrals we have not realized the actual $3,000,000 in payments for services.

The Exodus Program is a component of The Jireh Development Corporation. Jireh is an initiative of Christ Emmanuel Christian Fellowship with it''s own separate 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation status. Jireh has its own board of directors comprised of individuals from within the faith community throughout the city of Cincinnati. All of our board members are not members of Christ Emmanuel. Jireh mission is to build houses for low-to-medium income individuals who might not ever be able to purchase a new house due to income restrictions. To date we have built 6 units of a 15-unit single-family housing project adjacent to Christ Emmanuel. Each townhouse is approximately 1600 square feet and features three bedrooms, a living room, dining room, 2 ½ baths, basement, and a two-car garage. We also have 112 units in development to be completed over the next one to three years. Included in the development is a new park for the neighborhood children.

We believe that every agency that we contract with is a valuable customer. As such if we believe that we cannot meet our customer''s expectations it becomes our responsibility not to enter into a contract with them. We enter into contracts solely based upon vision and mission not because we need money -- our vision drives everything that we do.

I know that there is great debate over whether or not churches should accept money from the government. However, we answered the question for ourselves over four years ago when we received our first contract. We faced great debate even amongst the volunteers who began working with Exodus, and who, when they were challenged to live the life rather than preach it, were very frustrated and worried that we had sold out. However, we believe that it is very easy to preach at individuals than it is to live your life every day so that there is a marked difference in you as a Christian. When people see the difference they will ask the important questions. We adopted that stance three and a half years ago and we have seen success that meets to our contractor''s approval as well as to our Chief Executive Officer (God).

Jireh believes that success lies not in how many individuals you pray for, or in how many individuals accept Christ as their Lord and Savior. We believe that we are called to plant seeds of truth, hope, and character. Every farmer approaches planting from a different point of view depending on what they are trying to grow, the region, the market, and the soil. I believe that it was Mother Theresa who said, ""Plant the act, reap the habits, plant the habits, reap the virtue, plant the virtue, reap the character, plant the character, reap the destiny."" We are planting expecting to reap character, destiny, and success in the lives of the individuals we serve. We settled long ago that Christianity is our faith, it is what we live, breathe and practice. However, it our lifestyle not to be thrust upon the people that we are called to serve. Therefore we do not have bible study as a part of our curriculum. Prayer is available for those who request it before or after classes. Our staff is diverse culturally, racially, in gender and in faith. There are individuals on board who are single parents as well as persons who are part of a two-parent household. One of our primary strengths is the heart of the individuals who serve our participants. They love them and accept them for who they are, but at the same time they see the potential for greatness that lies within everyone. We serve persons who are struggling with drug and alcohol addictions, persons with felony convictions, individuals with little to no work history, persons who have been on welfare all of their lives, generational welfare recipients, persons who have dropped out of high school, with no hope, no dreams, no inspiration, and no understanding of the wealth of promise that this country holds for them.

Do I personally believe that the state and faith-based agencies can work together to provide services to the community? Emphatically I do. It was the church that originally served as the light within the community by providing assistance to the fatherless, the widows, and the stranger before welfare became the responsibility of the government in 1935. However, I believe that it is a question that each agency has to ask and answer for itself based upon its vision and mission. What works for Exodus might not necessarily work for every other faith-based organization and the government is going to be hard-pressed to develop a model that will fit and satisfy everyone.

During our last four years we have met the critics as we bid for contracts at prices that were at a third of what the ""big dogs"" were charging. When I say ""big dogs"" I refer to those agencies who have been in the pockets of the government for years, but who have delivered next to nothing for the dollars they have received. We have been slandered, criticized and refused based solely upon our commitment to perform our services at a competitive and a fair price. However, we have also been commended, praised, and congratulated on our performance and our courage to step outside of the box.

We were faith-based before it was okay to define yourself as such to the community at-large. Bishop Dantley testified before the State Budget Committee on Welfare Reform in June of 1997 before the state''s definition of welfare reform was decided upon. His testimony contributed to the state adopting HB403. Individuals were given 36 months of TANF, with a 12-month hiatus and the option of returning for a final 24 months. This was much better than the lifetime limit of 24 months that they were originally considering.

I personally believe that The Exodus Program is an excellent example of how faith-based organizations and government can work together to achieve a common goal. However, it will take commitment and flexibility on the part of all involved to see this thing work.

I want to thank you for the opportunity to share with the committee.

Written Testimony of Charles D. Clingman

Executive Director of The Jireh Development Corporation

And Elder of Christ Emmanuel Christian Fellowship Church

Submitted to

The Subcommittee on the Constitution of the House of Representatives

Oversight Hearing on ""State and Local Implementation of Existing Charitable Choice

Programs""

To be given on April 24, 2001 at 2:00 p.m.

Before I begin I would like to thank you for the opportunity to present my views and experiences as the director of a faith-based organization.

The government has been in the welfare business for almost seventy years. However, it has only served to ""perpetuate"" a welfare mentality. In 1996, as a direct result of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, states were given three years to undo this ""welfare mentality"" that it took almost a quarter of a century to build. The problems, challenges, abuses, and the like did not occur in the community overnight. It is the direct result of poverty, racism, and yes, in some instances, absolute laziness. However, it''s going to take more than three years to make the long-term changes necessary to impact not only the life of one generation, but also of the generations to come. There are various reports and books currently being published about the effects of welfare reform including Lessons on Welfare Reform: An Analysis of the AFDC Caseload and Past Welfare to Work Programs by Dave M. O''Neill and June Ellenoff O''Neill and Economic Conditions and Welfare Reform by Sheldon H. Danzinger. We agree with their prognosis -- people will be returning to welfare -- what are we going to do to keep them from coming back?

According to 1990 census statistics, Cincinnati ranks as 49^th in population, but has the 12^thhighest poverty rate of the 75 largest cities in the nation. The designated empowerment zone -- an area of nine neighborhoods stretching from the Ohio River to the upper basin hills -- demonstrate the severity of need. Approximately 47% of the 49,877 residents live below the poverty level; 15% are unemployed; 73% of the residents are African American; the median household income is $10,877; only 18% of homes are owner occupied; and 50% of the households have no access to private transportation. This is in contrast to the metropolitan region where the poverty rate is 11%; unemployment is under 3.7% 13% of the residents are African American; the median household income is $30,691; 35% of all homes are owner occupied; and 87% of the households have access to private transportation.

I want to take the next few minutes to tell you about a program that is more than a program. It began as an ""inspired"" thought in the heart and mind of an individual who just ""happens"" to be a bishop of a three thousand-member congregation in Cincinnati, OH. It is a positive and successful example of the good that can happen when a state and local government was willing to ""push the envelope"" and took a chance, on what was four years ago, a new and emerging faith-based program called The Exodus Program.

Those persons who have fully participated in Exodus will be able to:

•Obtain employment and maintain the same

• Handle their personal financial responsibilities

• Maneuver the labyrinth of daily interactions with business, governmental, and educational institutions

• Involve themselves in preventative medical procedures, and

• More importantly, come to live the more than abundant life.

They will also be able to interface with and handle daily situations that arise in regular family life and walk in wholeness throughout the process of change, transition, and ultimate restoration.

Our grant/contract history is as follows:

Hamilton County Department of Human Services (1997)

Job Readiness - $50,000

City of Cincinnati (1997)

Job Readiness for non-TANF - $15,000

Ohio Department of Human Services (1998)

Retention Services - $50,000

Faith-based Conference - $25,000

Hamilton County Department of Human Services -- (1998)

Job Readiness, Retention - $122,000

Hamilton County Department of Human Services (1999)

Case Management Contract - $230,159

Job Readiness, Retention, Recruitment Contract - $324,685

Hamilton County (1999)

Construction Workforce Development for African Americans - $162,000

Hamilton County Department of Human Services (2000)

Case Management Services for Term-Limit HCDHS clients - $762,123

Short Term Case Management Services - $524,783

Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services (2000)

The Joseph Project for African American Males (non-custodial fathers)- $875,000

Cincinnati State Community and Technical College

Job Readiness, placement, case management for Cincinnati Empowerment Zone residents

Employment and Training Division of the City of Cincinnati

African American Male Job Readiness/placement - $67,500

TANF Job Readiness/placement - $186,500

The Exodus Program is a component of The Jireh Development Corporation. Jireh is an initiative of Christ Emmanuel Christian Fellowship with it''s own separate 501 (c) 3 non-profit corporation status. Jireh has its own board of directors comprised of individuals from within the faith community throughout the city of Cincinnati. All of our board members are not members of Christ Emmanuel. Jireh mission is to build houses for low-to-medium income individuals who might not ever be able to purchase a new house due to income restrictions. To date we have built 6 units of a 15-unit single-family housing project adjacent to Christ Emmanuel. Each townhouse is approximately 1600 square feet and features three bedrooms, a living room, dining room, 2 ½½ baths, basement, and a two-car garage. We also have 112 units in development to be completed over the next one to three years. Included in the development is a new park for the neighborhood children.

Exodus is comprised of 21 employees representing seven different churches within the Cincinnati area. As the Executive Director of Jireh Development Corporation, I have worked with my leadership team to develop a working team of individuals who practice integrity, service, excellence, and cooperation. We have an accountant to assist us with financial procedures, and we have purchased an accounting system to assist us with all of the demands of doing business with the city and the county. The church has a lawyer on staff that we are able to access to assist us in the implementation of this tremendous project.

During our last four years we have encountered critics as we bid for contracts at prices that were at a third of what the ""big dogs"" were charging. When I say ""big dogs"" I refer to those agencies who have been in the pockets of the government for years, but who have delivered next to nothing for the dollars they have received. We have been slandered, criticized and refused based solely upon our commitment to perform our services at a competitive and a fair price. However, we have also been commended, praised, and congratulated on our performance and our courage to step outside of the box.

I want to thank you for the opportunity to share with the committee.