Illinois Appellate Court halts agency’s attempt to tax religious ministry to underprivileged children

The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Jeremiah Galus regarding the Illinois Appellate Court’s ruling Wednesday that the Illinois Department of Employment Security can’t assess unemployment compensation taxes to By The Hand Club For Kids, a ministry of The Moody Church that provides assistance to underprivileged children:

“By The Hand’s afterschool ministry to needy schoolchildren is directly motivated by its Christian faith and convictions. For years, the Illinois government agency has insisted on taxing By The Hand, a religious non-profit ministry, because it is meeting many diverse, practical needs of children in its community. We’re thankful that the Illinois Appellate Court has rejected the state’s flawed arguments and recognized that By The Hand’s provision of free food, free medical care, and free education is an act of worship, a genuine exercise of faith. The state agency truly ‘erred by recharacterizing them as secular activities’ and we’re hopeful that the court’s important decision motivates other state governments to respect their faith-based allies and the important ways ministries serve under-resourced communities.”

• Pronunciation guide: Galus (GAL’-us)

Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization that advocates for the right of people to freely live out their faith.

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