Draft Proposal from the Parable: Thy Kingdom Come…on Earth as it is in Heaven

Sustainable Works of Mercy Fund or What Can Be!

The Corporation Board of St. Catherine would establish a not for profit fund with the approximate 1.1 million dollars resulting from the sale of the properties of the three Catholic Churches in North Central Milwaukee, St. Nicholas, St. Albert and Holy Redeemer/Blessed Trinity.

This fund would provide grants to non-profit groups who provide vouchers for beds, used refrigerators and stoves to residents in need in North Central Milwaukee. Examples of such groups would be: St. Catherine School, the St. Vincent De Paul Conferences of St. Catherine, All Saints, St. Martin De Porres and all SVDP conferences that serve the North Central Area with vouchers for beds, stoves and refrigerators. Private and public agencies that provide these three basics to residents in this area would be eligible.

North Central Milwaukee, for the purpose of this proposal, is defined as the area between North Avenue and Silver Spring, from the Milwaukee River to 60th street. The Administration Board could change this area.

The fund would be administered by pastors and representatives in North Central Milwaukee from the three Catholic churches.

The Administration Board would meet two to four times a year to dispense funds to qualifying organizations. There would be no paid staff.

The fund would actively solicit other funds from individuals, private organizations and businesses and foundations. Volunteers, including people served by the fund, would run this fundraising unit.

Grants would only be made to organizations that make person to person contact with recipients and would be encouraged to follow up with the family in the future. Donations would be made payable to the fund.

This is a possible scenario of how the proposal from The Parable would work. The important message is found in the Parable: by providing beds, stoves and refrigerators to people in need in North Central Milwaukee lasting and sustainable changes in the lives of many people can be realized while doing the mission of Jesus: to love one another, as outlined in The Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy.