Biography of ROBERT J. POLITO
Director for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson named Robert J. Polito as the director of the HHS Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives on May 10, 2002. The HHS Center was created by Executive Order on January 29, 2001, in order to identify and remove barriers to the participation of faith-based and community groups in accessing federal funds.
Polito is responsible for examining federal policy and programs and finding ways to better mobilize, empower, and collaborate with faith- and community based groups doing good work while removing barriers that impede many from federal funding. Polito manages the Compassion Capital Fund, a $30 million dollar fund, which provides support to intermediary organizations across the country who are giving capacity building expertise to small, faith and community-based groups to increase their sustainability and local impact.
Polito has been a leader in creating, improving, and leading faith-based initiatives for over a decade. He is the Founder and past President of FaithWorks International, a New York City non-profit serving the needs of homeless, drug-addicted men. In 1999, he founded FaithWorks Milwaukee (FWM). FWM served as a national faith-based model through its innovative government partnerships. These partnerships included the Governor's Office, the Department of Corrections, and the five private welfare agencies in Milwaukee. Polito also secured FWM with federal and state welfare-to-work funding, making FWM one of the leading examples of a faith-based and welfare-to-work partnership operating under Charitable Choice.
Prior to launching FaithWorks, Polito created and led the Bowery Mission Transitional Center (BMTC), a faith-based rescue mission for homeless men, in New York City from 1994 -1999. Here, he created a successful partnership between the City and State of New York, who together provided funding for program operations. BMTC's $1.2 million dollar annual contract with the city and state enabled previously unreachable men to break the cycle of addiction. Since 1994, almost 1,500 clients have graduated from BMTC's program with 80 percent recovering from substance addictions and securing gainful employment.
With a long-standing management career, Polito has sat on several boards of directors and served as an advisor to the Mayor of New York on welfare and substance abuse issues. He holds a bachelor's degree in health education from Pennsylvania State University. He is also a recognized national champion collegiate athlete playing defensive back for the Penn State football team. Polito is a native of New York metropolitan area.
He and his wife, Michele, and their three children live in Northern Virginia. Bobby and Michele gain most of their enjoyment participating in their children's athletic and artistic endeavors. The Polito boys are stand-out football, baseball and basketball players and daughter Alexis is on a professional track at the Washington School of Ballet.
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