When thousands of men and women working to overcome drug and alcohol addiction at Teen Challenge centers across the United States bow their heads to give thanks for their daily bread this week, they'll have an additional reason to be thankful: A reversal of Bush administration policy means residents of the Christian-based treatment program won't be forced to choose between food stamps and faith-based recovery.

On the sidelines of a soggy soccer field in Charlotte, N.C., Stephanie Johnson sips Gatorade and hollers to her teammates: "All right now . . . Ya'll bring it home." The 45-year-old Maryland native never imagined she'd find herself playing defense on an amateur soccer team, primarily for one reason: Ms. Johnson is homeless.

Christian pop star Steven Curtis Chapman is challenging sold-out crowds on his current "All Things New Tour" to undertake the biblically mandated task of caring for orphans. And his audience is listening.

From sea to shining sea, biblical compassion is alive and well in the United States. Here are capsule profiles of eight organizations that help the poor not only during the Christmas season but all through the year.

On the Richter scale of organizational shakeups, the one at Habitat for Humanity rates at least a 7.0, maybe higher. But strangely, the shift of Habitat founder Millard Fuller from CEO into a largely ornamental position on the group's letterhead is registering as a mere tremor.

DALLAS - Tillie Enriquez shakes her jingle bells as a young Asian girl approaches with a few coins. Even before the girl can find the cross-shaped hole in the red kettle, Ms. Enriquez thanks her: "May the Lord bless you." Before the girl walks away from the Salvation Army kettle, Ms. Enriquez adds, "You may have a candy cane if you like." The child does.

DISPOSABLE CAMERA IN HAND, the balding, gray-haired man sits in his leather recliner by the front door, confident a limousine with a trunk full of cash will arrive shortly. He is still in his dark blue suit hours after returning from the Sunday service. After making hundreds of donations to charitable organizations, this Pennsville, N.J., man has been assured repeatedly that he is in the running for a huge sum of money. He is in the "winner's circle."