When President-elect Barack Obama takes office, he might want to give the Rev. Joseph Breen of St. Edward Catholic Church in Nashville a call.
Breen recently devised an economic stimulus package for his parish, giving out more than $100,000 to help 270 struggling families make ends meet. The church gave $250 per child to families who have children enrolled at St. Edward Elementary School. The funds came with no strings attached and no questions asked.
Breen got the idea for the stimulus checks after hearing that several church members had lost their jobs. He checked with lay leaders in the church and, after getting their blessing, sent a letter to parents from the church’s school. The funds came from reserve funds and from donations Breen had received specifically for benevolent purposes.