Cuomo wants to create faith-based services agency

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo wants to create a new state Office of Faith-Based Community Services to help religious organizations that provide food, education, health care or other social services, he said Thursday.

Speaking to a convention of the United Missionary Baptist Association, Cuomo said the state must improve its relationship with the faith-based organizations that he said are “often the most trusted, reliable and effective providers of social services.”