AMESBURY — The hesitant, nervous faces of need popping up at local aid agencies are new; they've never done this before.
Despite reports heralding the economy as on the rise and unemployment as on the decline, many in the surrounding communities are finding themselves in a position they're not familiar with: in need. In turn, aid organizations are scrambling to keep up with the demand.
At the Amesbury branch of Community Action, a nonprofit organization that addresses poverty from Haverhill to Newburyport, director of community programs Elaine Miller said they've seen their volume double in the last year.
"There are huge needs out there, even in communities like Newburyport and Amesbury, where people don't expect it. We serve 600 families a month, and that's just for food."
The trend is being witnessed by a number of local service organizations, which are seeing the need for volunteers and donations rise along with the increasing needs of the community.
Lyndsey Haight, executive director of Our Neighbors' Table, an Amesbury charitable organization that offers hot meals and a food pantry, said the face of people in need is changing at her facility.
"In the last year, we have definitely seen a lot of people who never imagined needing to come to use our pantry or our meals," she said. "There's no one in this community who can absolutely say they will never need help, whether from us or from someone else," she said.
Pettengill House executive director Deb Smith is concerned not only with the number of people in need, but the intensity of the cases she's seeing. The Pettengill House, a nonprofit community social services agency in Salisbury, is seeing more dire need for aid, as well as counseling.
"With a poor economy, there's a trickle-down effect. With more stress and more despairing situations, you see domestic violence increasing, more problems with mental and physical health, more of an effect on the children and the family members. It's like an onion; there are just layers and layers."
Haight said asking for help, which is a bruise on many people's pride, is even harder for people who have been able to provide for themselves and their families up until now, but because of lost jobs and a bad economy find themselves in a bad situation.
"It's not their fault," Haight said. "It's out of their control; it's the economy."
While Our Neighbors' Table meets nutritional needs, Community Action, the Pettengill House and organizations in the area are there for support in other areas, with the agencies all working in tandem to ensure that things are running as smoothly as possible and residents who are down on their luck are getting what they need.
"We do collaborate with all social services in the area; we do pull together a meal and pantry schedule. We try to share all of our information with other food programs," Haight said. "If someone is needing something that we just don't have to give, we provide resources and referrals elsewhere, like local churches and The Salvation Army. We try not to send anyone away."
Amesbury area service providers meet once every other month at Our Neighbors' Table to confer with each other, discuss strategies, fundraising and different ways to help.
"It's hard for an agency to be everything to everyone," Haight said. "If we each pick what we're great at and lend our expertise to each other, we can meet the needs of the community."
The Amesbury branch of Community Action offers heating assistance, emergency rent and mortgage aid to help people avoid foreclosure and eviction, a clothing bank, homeless aid and WIC, a program for women, infants and children that provides nutrition and health education services, as well as grocery assistance.
Advocating self-sufficiency, Community Action helps individuals prepare a household budget and reduce expenses, both tools that allow people to take control of their situation, rather than feeling helpless. Miller said their programs are designed to prevent homelessness and to head off problems before they become unmanageable. Many of the people she sees coming through the doors are just one or two paychecks away from losing their cars, their homes and more, she said.
"A lot of homeowners are hurting," Miller said. "They're the working poor. People are affected by layoffs; they're trying to keep a roof overhead. Even those who have jobs aren't making what they're used to making or what they need to survive. People are piecing together jobs. Employed doesn't necessarily mean well employed."
Combine a poor economy with high property taxes, no unemployment benefits for the previously self-employed and a harsh winter that left many with huge heating bills, and many are left with no place to turn.
Funding for Community Action, which relies mainly on donations from companies, individuals and private foundations, is an issue as well.
Along with donations, manpower is also on Miller's wish list for Community Action. She needs people to help pick up food every Tuesday morning from the food bank in Lowell and hand out food on Thursdays. Miller said the lack in volunteers is another sign of the times, as people are working more and have less time to give.
As residents and area businesses come face to face with their own financial problems, few are in a position to give. And while stimulus funding allowed a much-needed $100,000 in aid to be given out by Community Action last year, no stimulus has been approved this year.
"That puts us back at square one," Miller said. "We provide $20,000 for Amesbury through our rent program in a typical year. Now there's no money. I'm afraid the people we did help might see a backlash, as there's no funding available."
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