Any assistance would help

Throughout the election season, we have been reminded by one candidate or the other of how bad the economy is -- as if we really needed reminding. Now as we leave the election season, we head into the holiday season struggling to find anything for which to be thankful.

When the economy sours, social service agencies, like Well-Help and Oberlin Community Services are hit with a double whammy. Donations fall as those who gave in the past have to watch every penny themselves, and requests for help increase as those who were just getting by are now having a hard time making ends meet.

Some agencies are giving assistance to families that were donating six months ago. And Well-Help expects to have requests for many more than 200 Thanksgiving food baskets.

The need is great, and the social service agencies need our help now perhaps more than any time since the 1930s. Well-Help, Oberlin Community Services (which provides services to southern Lorain County, including Wellington), and the Salvation Army will be grateful for any assistance we can give.

Perhaps you are not in a position to donate, but neither do you need assistance. Perhaps you can be of assistance to one or more of these agencies through volunteering your time.

A few hours a week ringing a bell for the Salvation Army or packing baskets for Well-Help can be extremely helpful to the staff. Time spent by volunteers doing such labor-intensive tasks frees up staff to work the phones or make applications to line up additional donations from foundations and other donors not necessarily in our local area.

We urge readers to be creative in the ways they help. Your contribution, financial or otherwise, could be just what is needed to keep hope alive for a struggling family.