If an FBO involved in a feeding program wishes to offer a prayer before a meal, is that allowed?
No. Prayer may not accompany (or immediately precede) a Federally funded feeding program, even if attendance or participation is voluntary. However, it should be made clear to feeding program beneficiaries that whether they join in prayer is up to them, and that their decision will have no bearing on whether they receive services. Any prayer session or prayer meeting must be privately funded and must “be held either in a separate location or at a separate time from the food distribution.” Back to Top ^ Question 19: Does acceptance of government money by an FBO affect that organization’s freedom to hire persons of like faith? Answer: Agencies of the U.S. government are barred from engaging in faith-selective hiring. However, a religious organization does not become an arm of the state merely by contracting with the Federal government or accepting Federal funds. Foreign assistance legislation applicable to USAID is silent on the subject of grantees’ hiring practices. Where a statute auth
Related Questions
- Does each meal provided through the nutrition program have to offer every older adult the nutrition requirements contained in the Older Americans Act (Sec. 331, 336 and 339)?
- How does the care that you offer the animals involved in the SSP program differ from the non-SSP animals?
- If an FBO involved in a feeding program wishes to offer a prayer before a meal, is that allowed?
