Probably few in southern Wake County are as aware of the current economic recession’s effects in the immediate community as those who listen to the pleas of people in desperate circumstances and try to figure out how to help.

Southern Wake Faith Community in Action (SWFCA) does just that. And, as the recession deepened, demands on the aid agency have soared.

Pam Naugle, executive director of the non-profit organization that is successor to the decades old Family Aid Council, knows from listening how economically stressed many area residents are.

She hears from many who come in to say, “I have lost my job. I have never been in this situation before. I’ve always paid my rent and my light bill.” They are desperate, they are embarrassed. Some cry.

One recent day a woman arrived at the office of SWFCA after closing hours.

She banged on the door . . and banged . . and banged.

Inside Pam Naugle, SWFCA executive director, who had not yet left for the day,

heard the banging and unlocked the door.

The woman poured out her sorrows, saying, “I used to have a house. I used to fly a plane. Now I live in public housing. My niece lives with me and five babies. Two of them are sick. The lights are going to be cut off tonight.”

Ms. Naugle invited her in, and had her fill out an application for assistance. She provided SWFCA funds to pay the light bill and helped the woman learn where she could apply for more extensive assistance from other organizations.

SWFCA exists to meet immediate emergencies. It is limited to assisting any one person or one family with funding up to $100 one time a year. The rest of its mission is to help those in need find the best sources for more long-term assistance. Most of the organization’s funding comes from area churches and individual donors.

As 2009 nears its close, Ms. Naugle says she has seen applications for assistance grow in number during the year while many of those who contribute to the organization, the churches, businesses and individuals, have had to tighten their own belts as the economic situation has worsened.

Ms. Naugle has been visiting area churches that are participating in the SWFCA mission to let them know how the recession is affecting their immediate community.

She tells them requests for assistance have nearly doubled since January. Donations aren’t always keeping up. The agency tries to maintain a reserve fund for tough times but doesn’t want to exhaust it.

In an interview Ms. Naugle said most applicants are in need of help with household utilities and rent. “Most are trying hard to find work, anything, even lesser jobs than they had before,” she said. “Many of these would fall in the category of middle class people,” she said.

Records show that in 2008 SWFCA assisted 181 applicants. At the end of August of 2009 the number had reached 186 with three months still to go in 2009.

“It has opened my eyes to the amount and depth of need,” Ms. Naugle said of the experience of recent months. She said she thinks many in the community do not realize just how much the economic depression is having dire effects right here.

She can cite many examples of individuals and families the agency has assisted this year. One she described:

“An older woman was trying to reestablish her life in the area after leaving an abusive husband. She was also caring for her mentally compromised adult son who received disability. But because of her moving expenses and a temporary disruption in his benefits, she was desperate and worried about not being able to pay her first utility bill. She’s too old to find decent work and her yard sales weren’t successful. SWFCA helped her pay her light bill and directed her to sources for help with other needs. Three months later SWFCA received a small donation check from her in the mail.”