Five groups joining forces to mentor children

President Bush, with first lady Laura Bush, wants "to recruit 1 million mentors to provide love and comfort to children around America"

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Five service organizations, with President Bush's backing, joined forces Monday to launch a campaign to recruit more than 1 million mentors to provide moral support to disadvantaged American children.

Leaders of four service clubs, Kiwanis International, Optimist International, Lions Clubs International and Rotary International will work with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America to provide the mentors over the next five years.

The campaign fits in with Bush's faith-based philosophy that private organizations, and not just the government, address some of America's pressing social problems.

"We've set a goal amongst us to recruit 1 million mentors to provide love and comfort to children around America. I can't think of a more noble goal for the organizations here," Bush said, his wife Laura at his side and leaders of the groups seated around a table in the White House Roosevelt Room.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, a Philadelphia-based non-profit agency with 500 programs spread across all 50 states, provides one-on-one mentoring relationships between adult volunteers and children from single-parent families.

The volunteers act in many ways like a family member, not only helping with school studies, but eating out, attending sports events, sightseeing, helping with chores, going to movies and the like.

A 1995 study cited by the White House said 46 percent of children participating in the program were less likely to use illegal drugs, 27 percent less likely to use alcohol and 53 percent less likely to skip school.

The Kiwanis, Optimists, Rotary and Lions clubs work on a local basis to provide services to the disadvantaged.

"For others around the country who are wondering how best to help a neighbor in need, I strongly urge them to think about joining one of these service clubs, a club whose sole existence is to help make America a better place," Bush said.

The development came as Bush continued to push for his faith-based solutions to social problems, which he considers a centerpiece of his "compassionate conservative" domestic agenda.

Last Thursday, the House Judiciary Committee approved Bush's faith-based proposals after they had been stalled on Capitol Hill in the face of criticism that they would blur the constitutional line between church and state.

The initiative would let churches, synagogues and mosques help deliver $250 billion in federal social programs. The major elements of the president's initiative would allow increased tax deductions for charitable donations and let religious groups compete for more federal grants to provide expanded social services.

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