City does not plan to rescind Salvation Army funds
FLORENCE — Mayor Steve Holt said Wednesday the city does not plan to rescind the $38,250 it provided to the Salvation Army to assist with construction of a shelter for homeless residents.
The city's stance is in response to a June 12 letter to Holt from the Freedom From Religion Foundation that claims the city may not use its resources to assist "religious ministry projects."
In February, the City Council voted to provide a $38,250 match for a grant of the same amount from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs.
The grant and the city's match, along with money from the Salvation Army, will be used to fund the $165,221 project.
Holt said the city considers the grant match a contract with the nonprofit Salvation Army to perform a service to Florence.
"They are a 501(c)(3) and we could have done this with a church or anyone else," he said. "If an agency is able to perform a service we normally aren't able to provide, we'll look at it.
"I'm sure the Freedom From Religion group has their opinion and we have ours also, and that is that we're federally protected to do something like this."
A representative with Freedom From Religion said the organization is awaiting an official response from the city before commenting.