Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee called on faith communities, nonprofits, philanthropists alike to help address Tennessee’s most pressing social challenges during a Faith and Community Summit on Aug. 26 at Nashville First Baptist Church.
The event, part of Lee’s Faith-Based and Community Initiative, brought together government officials, nonprofit leaders and faith-based organizations to discuss collaboration in areas including foster care, family preservation, and human services for at-risk families.
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“Really my heart is very grateful to every single one of you, not for being here, but for what you do for the people of our state,” Lee told attendees.
The governor emphasized government’s limitations in solving social problems, particularly in child welfare.
‘Government isn’t the answer’
“Government isn’t the answer,” Lee said. “But when a drug addict abandons her children, someone has to pick them up and that’s when the government starts raising children.”
Other speakers included Margie Quin, commissioner of the Department of Children’s Services, and Gary Wilson, assistant commissioner from the Department of Human Services. The summit also featured a question-and-answer session with faith-based and nonprofit leaders.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Zoë Watkins and originally published by the Baptist and Reflector.
