Michael Newberry's refusal to seek financial assistance from his church isn't because he wouldn't love to - it's because the place known for its giving needs help itself.
The 52-year-old member of Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church has remained jobless, though he has interviewed for 25 to 30 jobs in the past nine months - evidence of the nation's recession. Mr. Newberry said he suffers from a leg disease that keeps him on crutches. He receives financial help from the government, including food stamps, but when it comes to asking for help from the Northwest Washington church, he doesn't bother.
"I know there have been people who have been helped, but I know there have been some that have been turned away because there's just not enough money," Mr. Newberry said. "There's barely enough money to keep the lights on sometimes."...