WILKINSBURG, Pa. -- U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum visited Wilkinsburg on Monday to announce a $100 million initiative to help churches and synagogues encourage home-buying among low- and moderate-income families.

"People need to not just work, but to accumulate wealth," Santorum told a crowd of about 100 people at Covenant Church of Pittsburgh. "We've got people on a treadmill making money because they haven't been able to build wealth ... Hopefully, this will get them on an escalator, get them moving up."

Backed by government-chartered Fannie Mae, the initiative encourages churches and synagogues to send their members to Countrywide Home Loans, the nation's leading lender to minorities, for home loans. The $100 million goal is part of Fannie Mae's 10-year pledge to provide $2 trillion in home loans for 18 million families.

David Kuo, President Bush's special assistant in charge of getting religious groups involved in social services, said the collaboration of churches and synagogues with corporate lenders makes sense because it allows people to get help from the people they trust. Fannie Mae has agreed to buy the loans from Countrywide, which will protect minorities from becoming victims of predatory lending.

Kuo said he believed Bush would have wanted to visit the church.

"Faith-based initiatives may not be at the top of his mind, but it's at the top of his heart," Kuo said.

Santorum, who sat alongside religious leaders at Covenant, said the lending program will ensure families achieve homeownership.

Santorum, a Republican, is Bush's top supporter in the Senate on using religious groups to help provide social services. He thanked church leaders for providing hope to the downtrodden.

"This is a small reward to you for making that commitment," Santorum said.

Wilkinsburg Mayor Wilbert Young said he was grateful for the program. He said it will help rebuilding efforts in the predominantly black community, nicknamed the "City of Churches."

Since Wilkinsburg was taken off the state's distressed community list, the borough of 20,000 has been trying to revitalize local businesses and increase homeownership. The average price of a home is about $45,000, Young said.

Daniel Mudd, vice chair and chief operating officer of Fannie Mae, said the partnership between Fannie Mae, Countrywide Home Loans and religious institutions will help low- and moderate-income families across southwestern Pennsylvania.