AU Asks County To Assure Homeless Shelter Does Not Pressure Residents Into Prayer

Yesterday's LaCrosse (WI) Tribune reports that Americans United has written LaCrosse County, Wisconsin, complaining that residents of the Salvation Army homeless shelter, funded by the county, are being pressured into attending religious services. Salvation Army gets $50,000 per year in public funds to offer the emergency housing. A Salvation Army official says residents are merely invited to join in services, and are not required to attend. AU wants the county to set up a monitoring system to make sure that coercion is not being used. County and Salvation Army officials will meet next month on the matter. Apparently county officials are willing to monitor activities to meet AU's objections.