Baylor gets grant for poverty study

WACO, Texas — Baylor University’s School of Social Work recently received a $2 million grant from Pew Charitable Trusts to study how urban churches and faith-based organizations are making a difference in the lives of poor Americans.

“Poverty is not only a problem of not enough money to meet basic needs,” said Diana Garland, chair of the social work school. “It also figures prominently in problems such as unemployment, welfare dependence, illiteracy, gang violence, substance abuse and teen pregnancy. We will look for the effective ways the small to midsized congregations and faith-based organizations tackle these problems.”