FEMA to reimburse religious groups and churches

[Alicnwondrln]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9495550/

i saw this this a.m. after readng Kramers ( i know i spelled this wring) post about how she cant get any $$ from fema and it really bothered me

it says this is the 1st time the gov has ever done this

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I have no problem with it. Reimbursing a group for providing shelter (as an example)--how is that any different from paying Carnival Cruise lines or the astrodome for space?

 

[Alicnwondrln]

i dont really think it is
i was just surprised and i was also upset that the gov can do this but cant help other americans

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Wonder if the churches have to call and get a number.

People do. I think that is dumb. Give the reps a laptop and a tent and let them give you a number when you show up. The way it is--they won't let you fill out paperwork until you telephone and get the number.

Not sure what happened in Mrs. Kreamer's case. But I would be steamed, too.

 

[CheapMom]

Not trying to be controversial- but why are you steamed? These churches have stepped in and helped people and are still helping people. Why shouldn't they receive money?

 

[Alicnwondrln]

in none of my posts does it say they should not receive money
i was just surprised since many are reporting that fema is telling people they have no money like Ms kreamer
doesnt make since to me
that was my point

 

[Chuck S]

That's pretty interesting, considering that our local city/county had facilities that could have been opened, and saved some evacuees another hour of driving time in to San Antonio. We were the first city to have operating gas stations (we have a distributor) We have a coliseum and several schools with shower facilities that could have provided shelter...but when we called the state, the city officials wre told "No, you are not a pre-approved site" and people were turned away to continue on to San Antonio to be processed...yet a "religious" facility, that I doubt was "pre-approved" can open at will and get re-imbursement.

There are still a lot of kinks in our emergency systems, regardless of what a "happy face" the government tries to put on it.

 

[Planogirl]

There have been some communities on the news that are asking for help and haven't heard from anyone including FEMA. One is Jasper, Texas where I saw the local police saying that they were desperate for help and another is Cameron Parish in Louisiana which was apparently pretty badly devastated.

I see nothing wrong with reimbursing entities that helped in the past but shouldn't those still needing help come first?

 

[wvrevy]

1 - It's not charity if it is re-imbursed by the government.

2 - If churches aren't charities (see #1) then they need to start paying taxes and being treated as any other business.

 

[Planogirl]

1 - It's not charity if it is re-imbursed by the government.

2 - If churches aren't charities (see #1) then they need to start paying taxes and being treated as any other business.

Great points! Will the Red Cross be reimbursed? Of not, why not if churches are being paid?

 

[Alicnwondrln]

1 - It's not charity if it is re-imbursed by the government.

2 - If churches aren't charities (see #1) then they need to start paying taxes and being treated as any other business.

THIS IS AN EXCELLENT POINT!!!!

 

[CheapMom]

Red Cross receives government money.
http://www.redcross.org/news/ds/terrorism/020919security.html

 

[CheapMom]

http://www.redcrosslife.org/about/abt_article.asp?id=90

 

[wvrevy]

That's because the government, in its infinite wisdom, has basically folded the Red Cross into it's disaster relief plans. It has said that, under a crisis, the RC would be responsible for handling certain things. As such, it is receiving those funds to cover the charity's expenses in doing a government mandated duty.

The red cross is not, however, "reimbursed" for other work performed.

 

[cardaway]

1 - It's not charity if it is re-imbursed by the government.

2 - If churches aren't charities (see #1) then they need to start paying taxes and being treated as any other business.

Yet another reason #2 is true and needs to happen now.

 

[Geoff_M]

2 - If churches aren't charities (see #1) then they need to start paying taxes and being treated as any other business.

However, since an organization doesn't have to be a charity to be tax-exempt, this logic fails. Not-for-profit/For-profit operation per the IRS is what determines taxable status.

 

[wvrevy]

However, since an organization doesn't have to be a charity to be tax-exempt, this logic fails. Not-for-profit/For-profit operation per the IRS is what determines taxable status.

Not to completely derail this thread or anything, but do you seriously think that the Catholic Church, for example, is a "not-for-profit" agency ? It's one of the richest organizations, in terms of assets, in the world!

And to the point of the thread, will every other "not-for-profit" agency be getting reimbursed for the work they are doing ? If not, then why are churches a special case ?

 

[Geoff_M]

Not to completely derail this thread or anything, but do you seriously think that the Catholic Church, for example, is a "not-for-profit" agency ? It's one of the richest organizations, in terms of assets, in the world!

Yes, because assets have little or nothing to do with not-for-profit status. For example many not-for-profit museums have huge assets, but that doesn't corrolate to their taxable status. So in your zeal against the Catholic Church, would have also have the taxable status of institutions like The Smithsonian and The Chicago Institute of Art altered becase of their incredibly large assets?

 

[Geoff_M]

And to the point of the thread, will every other "not-for-profit" agency be getting reimbursed for the work they are doing ? If not, then why are churches a special case ?

Well, I read the article and it basically said that the FEMA has proposed reimbursing not-for-profit organizations that sheltered evacuees at government request. The controversy appears to be that religious organizations are not excluded from the proposed program. It said that secular organizations whould be eligible under the same rules if implimented.

 

[CheapMom]

Exactly right- secular and faith-based non-profit organizations that ran a shelter, food distribution center, or medical facilty would be eligible to apply for funds.
Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues... have opened their doors, hearts, and wallets beyond measure. I am surprised this is even a controversy.