A photo of Congressman Randy Forbes taken on July 2007.
Congressman Randy Forbes launched the #FaithitForward initiative on Tuesday, June 23. The initiative aims to unite the nation by highlighting the importance and impact of faith in communities. #FaithitForward is designed for everyday people to share personal stories on a public platform. Forbes is the United States Representative for Virginia's 4th Congressional District and the founder of the Congressional Prayer Caucus, a group of U.S. Representatives who meet to pray at the Capitol.
"Policies are often generated because of real life stories of how those policies impact the lives and direction of a nation," wrote Congressman Forbes in a blog post on the Congressional Prayer Caucus website. "Perhaps no group of stories have had a greater impact on our country than stories of faith. Unfortunately, amidst policy debates, we sometimes lose sight of those stories. The goal of #FaithitForward is to tell these stories in a central place for policymakers and the world to see."
Forbes wrote that faith unites people of all background and is an advocate "for the voiceless, the hopeless, and the oppressed." #FaithitForward equips people to share their stories of philanthropic efforts, giving, and church activity on a social media platform. The Congressman added that everyday people of faith are often "making a more direct and personal impact than government programs ever could."
Forbes shared a story of LeOtis Williams, a man who helps feed families in Virginia on Thanksgiving Day by giving away food. Williams gave away an estimated 16,000 turkeys and helped 64,000 individuals. Ann Wagner shared on the #FaithitForward Facebook page a story of Crisis Aid International, an organization that is dedicated to fighting for the rights and protection of sex-trafficking victims. Wagner quoted co-founder Susan Bradley as saying that "God desires to bring healing and restoration through Crisis Aid's Refuge Home."
#FaithitForward reminds individuals about the importance of sharing stories of how faith impacted their lives or community and encourages people to step up to share. The initiative hopes to "unite the nation around celebrating the hope and inspiration that comes from helping others." Stories can be shared on Facebook by posts or by filling out a Google form.
