By Suzanne Perry

The economic-stimulus package approved last night by the House of Representatives would provide new money to an array of health and social-services programs, offering some relief to charities that are facing rising demand and shrinking revenues as the economic crisis deepens.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 would introduce about $819-billion in spending and tax cuts designed to create from 3 million to 4 million jobs. The package would provide money for clean energy, public schools, health technology, and road and bridge projects.

But it would also spend $87-billion to increase the federal share of Medicaid, the health program for poor people, through the end of 2010, which could head off some state budget cuts that would affect nonprofit medical centers.

It also proposes $2.1-billion for Head Start and Early Head Start, the early-education programs; $1.5-billion to help community health centers renovate their clinics and provide care to more uninsured patients; $200-million for the Emergency Food and Shelter Program, which is governed by a board of social-services charities; and $100-million for the Compassion Capital Fund, which provides grants to religious and other charities to provide social services.

In an effort to help states that are facing massive shortfalls as tax revenues plummet, the bill also seeks $2-billion for Child Care and Development Block Grants, to offer child-care services to low-income families; $1-billion for Community Service Block Grants, to provide social services to low-income people; and $1-billion for Community Development Block Grants, to pay for housing and antipoverty projects. Charities get many of the contracts to operate those programs.

It would also offer $200-million to AmeriCorps, the national-service program, and $50-million to the National Endowment for the Arts to provide grants to struggling arts groups.

The debate now moves to the Senate, which is considering a slightly different version of the bill.