If the government taxed the richest, and companies too, at the 1960 levels (when the middle class was booming) then the government itself could do that work.

Plus, as LBJ put it, if a company re-invests in it's employees and production, it won't be taxed on the profits it doesn't make (paraphrased). So higher taxes on companies should re-route the money sent to the shareholders and C level asshats, back to the employees who need it. And then they wouldn't need a handout to scrape by.

There is no reason good works have to be attached to religion. Locally the best food shelf and clothes closet aroune is completely secular.

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Don't confuse charity and church.

If any of this vanishes it will come back later under different names.

Oh oh oh! I know! Let's change our socio-economic norms so charity such as this isn't needed.

Instead of teaching religion in school, children should be taught ethics and philosophy. What I love about having no religion is that I can choose my own values. AS a humanist, I aim to not cause pain to other people or animals. I want to help others, not to secure a place in heaven but for the warm and fuzzy it gives and working toward my goal of leaving the planet a little better in my corner. Adopting a nihilist attitude to atheism does not bring meaning or fulfillment to life. In fact you might as well end it now. When churches no longer organise soup kitchens, non religious humanists will take their place.

Tax the churches, they should never receive federal funds, that is, taxpayer dollars, nor should these parasites be allowed a tax-free status.

What I often ask myself beyond COVID is how effective will the secular/atheist movement be at providing alternatives to churches in providing the same services. It's something that will hopefully improve as religious affiliation is decreasing around the world.

Contrary to popular belief, churches do less for people than you might be led to think. That being said, those who do good things should be praised for admirable work they do.

I donate many things but never money.

I will preface my thoughts with only having a local frame of reference, but I suspect it's not much different throughout the USA. Without trying to discount the individual acts of kindness a church may engage in, I rarely see a church that is really helping those outside it's membership unless attempts at indoctrination are part of the exchange. Nothing makes me see red more than vulnerable people being taken advantage of in this way, making assistance that they desperately need dependent upon drinking the Koolade, and I would struggle to support enlisting our churches to fill the needs that are going to need met. My town also has a very large NPO that is, yes, faith based in that the founders are very religious and I am sure they feel they are doing God's work, but they are not tied to a church specifically and proselytizing is not part of their agenda. It started as a tiny little food bank endeavor, and with community support, has grown to be quite the impressive community organization. They not only have a huge food bank, but will go out and collect donated items such as furniture, appliances, even cars, and match them with community members in need. I would rather like to see more of these organizations become viable and supported. I don't think our government dollars should be going to churches in any way. If they are struggling through this, they should accept it as God's will and shut the doors.