>Date: 05 Nov 97 09:21:16 EST
>From: Davids House Inc
>Subject: HR 944 and HR 945

Dear Sirs: 
     
Please tell Congress "Enough, already!"
     
David's House is a small (budget in the ballpark of $300,000) non-profit 
organization. We are a home away from
home for families with children being treated through Children's Hospital at 
Dartmouth (CHaD) at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH. If you 
are familiar with Ronald McDonald Houses, you get the general concept -- except 
that we have no formal ties with any large corporate benefactor, either 
McDonald's or the Medical Center. 90% of our budget is from donations and 
grants. Only 10% comes from guest fees.
     
Up to now we have watched the congressional debate about public funding of 
non-profits from the sidelines, because we do NOT get any government funds. We 
rely entirely on the generosity of individuals, businesses and foundations.
     
Mr. Armey et al. appear determined to de-fund the "left" no matter what it 
takes, even if it means intense scrutiny of corporate philanthropy. Excuse me, 
but has anyone in Congress ever tried writing a grant??? Non-profits already 
have to jump through so many hoops to get businesses to consider them 
favorably, that adding any more hurdles would put many worthy causes on the 
"left" AND on the "right," whatever those terms mean anymore, out of business. 
     
Here's why these bills are problematic from an ideological point of view: About 
2/3 of the families who stay at David's House can't afford to pay their room 
bill ($10 per night). Also we don't discriminate against a family of a patient 
based on whether the parents are married or unmarried, or gay or straight. So I 
guess that means we're a "leftist" cause. 
     
However, some of the families David's House serves have babies with severe, and 
sometimes life-threatening, birth defects that their parents may have known 
about before the children were born. BUT these families decided not to have 
abortions. So I guess that makes us a "rightist" cause.
     
Who will be our judge?
     
Government doesn't want to help people any longer. They're leaving it up to 
"volunteerism" and institutions like churches -- which, as stewardship chair of 
my own church, I can tell you have their OWN problems making ends meet. Now the 
Congress is going to make businesses afraid to help non-profits. But it's OK in 
their minds if corporations give us lots of gifts in kind. What??? Do they 
expect us to barter? Do they really think that if IBM gives us a computer, 
Public Service of NH will take it in exchange for our electric bill?
     
     
Yours very truly,
     
     
Rebecca K. Paquette
Assistant to Director