Hitting home

Sean Harkins

With the recent economic struggles, many businesses have seen their workload decrease. For other organizations, a poor economy makes things busier.

"We have totally doubled," Annette Brewington, director of the Friendship Room at St. Bernard Catholic Church, said.

Brewington said at the beginning of the month the soup kitchen would serve 35-56 people on average, now they are serving 78-92 people. When people's finances run low at the end of the month they are now serving 140-156 people, nearly double the average.

"I have noticed what used to be our numbers at the end of the month are now our numbers at the beginning of the month," Brewington said.

The economy, especially the mortgage crisis, has affected the Huron Humane Society. Fundraising Coordinator Val Pfoutz said once or twice a week, animals are left outside the humane society's facility in the middle of the night.

The fly-by-night drop offs are the biggest problem the humane society is facing. Pfoutz said those drop-offs are particularly expensive to the organization.

"Financially we're strapped because the cost of taking care of an animal is very expensive, and when we get a drop off and we don't know anything about the animal, we have to vaccinate that animal anyways," she said.

The increase in animals has resulted in all the available kennels to fill up, with the humane society even using the county's animal control space.

"It's horrible, it's bad right now," Pfoutz said. "We are completely full."

St. Vincent De Paul President Bill Morford said activity in the organization's programs, including thrift store shoppers and those seeking food assistance, has increased.

"It's just been building all year long," Morford said.

He said there has been an influx of families that had not asked for assistance in the past. Brewington said the soup kitchen has also seen that trend.

"We've seen a lot more families involved. Families we've never seen before," she said.

The increase in activity has put a strain on the humane society. Employee hours have been cut, and volunteers have been more heavily relied on. Pfoutz said the poor economy caused the cuts, which further hurt the economy because employees are bringing home a diminished paycheck.

Brewington said the soup kitchen workers are basically just busier, and have to manage their time very carefully.

"Our time allotment to get things we need to do done, is a lot shorter," she said.

One positive that Brewington said has come from the tough times is that the community has stepped up by volunteering and donating food.

"(Donations) are still coming in really good, we have been fortunate to live in a community that is so giving," she said.

Pfoutz said although the humane society's finances, which are made up primarily by public donations, have been affected the organization is keeping a positive outlook.

"We're doing the best we can," she said.

The alternative to the struggle isn't one that she would like to consider.

"If we shut down, I don't know what would happen to all the animals," Pfoutz said.

Sean Harkins can be reached via e-mail at sharkins@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5688.