Friend,

In the midst of a global pandemic, we cannot forget about the most vulnerable people in our community, including children in foster care. The threat posed by COVID-19 has reduced the availability of loving homes able to take in children in need. This sad reality is compounded by the Trump administration allowing taxpayer-funded foster care agencies to turn away qualified parents who are the “wrong” religion or LGBTQ.

Since it’s National Foster Care Month, I wanted to give you an update on one of AU’s most important lawsuits – a case that your support made possible: Maddonna v. U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services.

A victory in this case could help end religion-based discrimination in foster care. To support our team’s efforts, please click here to donate today: [link removed]

On top of AU’s round-the-clock COVID-19 response efforts, our legal team is suing the federal government and South Carolina to stop them from authorizing and encouraging religious discrimination, especially with taxpayer dollars. Our suit was filed on behalf of Aimee Maddonna, a Catholic mother of three who, after being told she would be a perfect foster parent, was turned away by the largest taxpayer-funded foster care agency in her state because she isn’t evangelical Christian.

After this brazen act of exclusion and rejection, AU stepped in to help Aimee ensure no more children are denied loving homes because of a taxpayer-funded agency’s religious litmus test. Our lawsuit continues to this day.

However, with the White House cheering on and supporting this discrimination, we need your help to ensure we have the resources to continue our fight for equality and common sense.

Before National Foster Care Month ends, please consider donating to help AU stop this harmful practice of religion-based discrimination in foster care: [link removed]

In addition to our defense of Aimee Maddonna, we joined Lambda Legal to represent Fatma Marouf and Bryn Esplin, who, after initially being told they would be perfect foster parents, were turned away from helping refugee children by another taxpayer-funded foster care agency when it realized they are a same-sex couple and don’t “mirror the Holy Family.” Unconscionable religious litmus tests have no place in our foster care system.

We are working hard to ensure children have access to safe homes, and loving families can foster children no matter what their religious beliefs or the sexual orientation of the parents. I’m grateful to have you on our side. Please click here to make your donation now: [link removed]

Thanks for all you do to keep AU’s important work going.

With hope and determination,

Rachel K. Laser
President and CEO

Copyright © 2020
Americans United for Separation of Church and State
All rights reserved.
1310 L St. NW, Ste. 200
Washington, DC xxxxxx

unsubscribe: [link removed]
Privacy policy: www.au.org/about/privacy-policy
Update your info: [link removed]
Donate: [link removed]