The responsibility of helping America's poor has fallen largely on the government since President Franklin Delano Roosevelt initiated his New Deal programs during the Great Depression. However, in recent years many people have debated whether private charities, especially religious organizations, are better equipped to aid the poor.

Some argue that private charity organizations can better serve the poor because they can provide more individualized services than a vast government bureaucracy can. In addition, charity proponents maintain, religious groups can offer spiritual teachings to help improve the lives of poor people. Ron Packard, a Republican congressman from California, writes, "Unlike a government handout, where the value is gone as soon as the money is spent, local and faith-based charities provide hope by restoring trust, building relationships and touching souls."

Not everyone sees giving private charities all the responsibility for helping the poor...