Faith-Based on the Ground

DALLAS, March 14 (RNS) -- Kelton Crowder spends his days sitting at a computer terminal, working to get his GED in a program provided to him by the government and a Christian social service agency. Suddenly, instead of focusing on life on the streets, he's dreaming of college and a banking career.

"I found out the streets ain't the way out," said the 20-year-old, who dropped out of high school in 10th grade.

Crowder's finishing his high school education through a free GED program offered by Central Dallas Ministries, which receives government funding through the "charitable choice" provision of 1996 welfare reform legislation.

The White House's plan to expand such charitable choice programs is the source of much debate.

But in grass-roots settings like Crowder's GED program, this is the reality: Not much government money. Not much religion. Lots of paperwork.

Crowder didn't know the money that allowed him to study the difference between plural and singular nouns had anything to do with a Christian program.

Larry James, executive director of the nonprofit organization that's separate from its related nondenominational church, said his staffers deal more with relationships than in-your-face religion.

"We kind of ascribe to St. Francis' words -- preach the gospel at all times; use words only when necessary," he said. "We don't attach any religious requirement to anything we do. That would be true if the government went away. This is the first government contract we've ever had and we haven't changed anything."

James said his organization secured a $106,000 grant for the GED program, but that's a minor part of its $2.6 million budget that pays for a food pantry, medical services and a variety of other programs for those in need in Dallas.