Preventing Targeted Violence and Protecting the Safety and Security of Houses of Worship

DHS Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships – August 17, 2021

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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships (DHS Center) fosters partnerships between government and faith-based organizations (FBOs) to increase the nation’s resilience by creating trust and developing relationships. The DHS Center seeks to build bridges across the whole community and to help overcome coordination challenges among faith-based organizations, emergency managers and other stakeholders engaging a broad cross-section of faith-based organizations in all stages of the disaster cycle. The DHS Center serves as a clearinghouse for information, connecting and coordinating with faith-based organizations allowing information to be shared in both directions, informing decision-making at DHS by elevating concerns, ground truth and local situational awareness while providing feedback, updates and guidance to the faith community.

Taskings

The DHS Center carries out the policies and program priorities of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, DHS and FEMA for faith and community-based organizations related to all-hazards preparedness; emergency and disaster response and recovery; and human trafficking.

• We seek to partner with faith and community leaders to promote whole community participation in disaster emergency response and recovery.
• We leverage emergency management tools, experts, and resources to ensure faith leaders, houses of worship and community organizations are ready when disaster strikes.
• We work with federal inter-agency partners to help faith and community leaders improve the safety and security of their facilities.
• As a serving member of the DHS Blue Campaign, we support the development of anti-trafficking awareness materials and provide informational outreach to faith and community partners for the campaign.

Background

On February 14, 2021, President Biden reestablished the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships and federal agency centers. In addition to their stated mission of  outreach to stakeholders of all backgrounds and beliefs, the Center’s were charged to execute the administration’s mission to boost economic recovery, combat systemic racism, increase opportunity and mobility for historically disadvantaged communities, advance international development and global humanitarian work and strengthen pluralism and respect constitutional guarantees.