Salinas, CA Elderly Women Depending On Dorothy's Place in Salinas For A Place To Sleep, Please Help If You Can.

View From A Non-Profit Serving Carmel, Carmel Valley, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Gonzalez, Greenfield, King City, Marina, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Salinas, Seaside And Soledad California

Non profits have an extremely difficult time raising money these days with unemployment so high and those that are employed still nervous about the economy.  The crunch hit locally this week when Dorothy's Place, a long-time non-profit organization which helps the homeless, announced it was extremely short of funds.  They need to come up with almost $50,000 within the next two weeks or it will have to begin layoffs and cutting back services.  "I wouldn't say the recession has been kind to us, but we've been able to pretty much hold our own in the difficult economy until this year," Jill Allen, director of development, told the Monterey Herald.  They need the money for upgrades to the kitchen which feeds so many homeless people.  It's a worthy cause.  I hope they are able to pull through.  Because of the recession, Allen said they are getting about 100 additional people coming in each day and those in need of a place to sleep has nearly doubled last year.  Many of the overnighters are elderly women who, because of their age and disabilities, are unable to acquire subsidized housing.  I've written before on my blog that Monterey County is one of the most expensive places in California for a Senior to live.  Even with Social Security, many can't get by.  Without Dorothy's Place, many of these seniors would be out on the street.  To donate to their cause, please call 578-4198, email [email protected] or go to www.dorothysplace.org.  Hands to Help Seniors just did it's first fundraising event and I want to thank our corporate sponsors, Alliance Home Health and Family inHome Caregiving.  Both of these companies strive to help seniors remain independent in their own homes, one doing in home health care and the other doing private duty caregiving services.  We will be doing a gala event this fall and hope to get broad support for our mission, which is to assist homebound senior citizens with limited financial means to remain independent in their own home.  If you can support our mission, please click on the donate button.  We will make your funds go a long way.