Less Bickering, More Compassion

After five months on the job, President Bush's new faith-based initiative czar, Jay Hein, is moving to shake things up. This week he hosts a "Compassion in Action" roundtable to promote successful programs targeting youth violence. Insiders say it's Hein's first effort to pull the controversial office out of the old church vs. state legal battles and instead make it the showcase for helpful projects fostered by communities and faith groups. He also wants the initiative to be seen as much more than a grant-giving operation. "The priority of this work," Hein says, "is to expand the supply of effective compassion." He's planning to host monthly issues roundtables.

With Angie C. Marek