Bishops' gay ban may cost millions--Private donors wary of adoption policy

[rodeodance]

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/03/05/bishops_gay_ban_may_cost_millions?mode=PF
Bishops' gay ban may cost millions
Private donors wary of adoption policy

By Patricia Wen, Globe Staff | March 5, 2006

The decision by the state's Catholic bishops to seek to exclude gays and lesbians from adopting through Catholic social service agencies could imperil millions of dollars in donations from corporations and philanthropies that have their own nondiscrimination policies to abide by.

''It's definitely a concern," said Jeff Bellows, a spokesman for the United Way of Massachusetts Bay, which was the largest private donor to Catholic Charities of Boston last year with a gift of $1.2 million. ''We have an antidiscrimination policy in accordance with the law and to protect the freedom of all citizens, especially the most vulnerable."

If the bishops halt gay adoptions by Catholic Charities, the United Way board will seriously review continued funding, said Bellows. Like many of today's philanthropic groups, United Way requires affiliated agencies to sign pacts that they will be open to accepting everyone regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation, among other factors.

These matters are taken seriously, he said. In 2000, the United Way in the Boston area stopped funding the local Boy Scouts because of a policy of barring gay scout leaders. The United Way restored funding two years later when the Scouts agreed not to discriminate against gays.

[marmar]

1. The high cost of hate...

if anything will eventually reverse backward-ass policies, it's $$$.