Michigan Group Inundated With Aid Requests

The Salvation Army’s Eastern Michigan affiliate is dealing with a 23-percent increase in requests for assistance since last year, forcing the charity to raise more money or begin making $500,000 in staff and operational cuts, according to the Detroit Free Press.

The rise in requests has prompted a campaign to raise $750,000 this month. Experts say the increased need is due to rising unemployment and fuel costs, and report that more middle-class families are asking for help than ever before.

“We’ve run out of our reserves,” says Russ Russell, director of development at the charity. “We’ve used all those rainy-day funds because unfortunately it’s been raining for about the last three to four years in Michigan.”