As the holiday season quickly approaches, area charitable organizations are seeing an increasing demand in requests for assistance. While some organizations feel confident they can fulfill the requests, others are hoping area residents will help stock their pantry shelves.

Tyrand Cooperative Ministries in Mill Creek provides food, used clothing, appliances and monetary assistance to those in need. However, Executive Director Belinda Toms said things have been harder since the economy went south. According to Toms, this has been their worst year for donations since 1988.

"The economy caught up with us," Toms said. "This year we are having a hard time meeting the needs of people who need our help."

Tyrand provides a food pantry, assistance with rent and bills, an invitation-only Christmas store, Christmas baskets and a Thanksgiving dinner for those in need. It also operates a thrift shop that provides clothing, appliances and furniture.

"Clothing is still coming in, but big household items are not coming in," Toms said. "People are not buying new items."

Toms said the cooperative is "way down" on monetary funding to help with rent and utility bills and does not see things getting better during the holidays.

"I think we are going to pick up on people needing assistance, but not donations," Toms said. "This is the worst year we have had in funding."

Toms said she keeps hoping that money will start to come in so they can provide the holiday events for those who cannot afford them. Tyrand is trying to raise money by selling some non-essential things such as knickknacks on e-Bay. To see the items, visit www.ebay.com and search their seller name Tyrand 2009.

Each year, the Elkins Marine Corps League Leland D. "Crow" Crawford Detachment 956 provides children in local counties with fun playthings they might not otherwise receive at Christmas with the help of Toys for Tots.

Although it's still too early to tell just how many families might sign up to receive toys through the program, Elkins Marine Corps League member and local Toys for Tots co-chairman Roger Ware said the organization is planning to provide to at least as many children this year as it did in 2008. Last year, more than 8,800 toys were collected and distributed to more than 1,800 children in Randolph, Upshur, Tucker, pendleton, Lewis, Pocahontas, Barbour, Webster and Greenbrier counties, Ware said.

Through Dec. 18, new, unwrapped toys may be placed in designated Toys for Tots collection boxes in Randolph County at Kmart, CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens, Big Lots, Skinner Insurance, Randolph County Senior Center, Naylor's Ace Hardware, Star Furniture & Mattress, Good News Christian Book and Gift Store, Aaron's Rentals, Elkins Regional Convalescent Center, Applebees and Dollar General as well as Family Dollar stores in Randolph and surrounding counties; Farm Credit in Buckhannon; Toys R Us in Bridgeport; and Wells Fargo financial branches in Bridgeport, Morgantown and Fairmont. Monetary donations are also accepted.

The people of Catholic Charities West Virginia Wellness Works Food Pantry have seen the number of their donations increase and the number of their requests double in the past year.

"We're giving people so much," said Regional Director of Catholic Charities West Virginia Cindy Hammer. "Something is happening in the community. People are realizing times are tough."

According to her numbers, the Wellness Works pantry in Elkins and a smaller one located in Webster Springs gave food to 221 families in October 2008 and 445 this past October.

Hammer said this means more than 1,100 individuals have received food from their pantries. She reported that some larger families need dollies to take all of the food to their cars.

Just because the organization is receiving more applications doesn't mean it is running out of things to give. Hammer said a local grocery store, through the West Virginia Food Bank, donated nearly 2,000 pounds of food since the first of May. A local Boy Scout troop also donated 65 bags of groceries.

"We could always use more donations," Hammer commented, noting that most people give food, but products such as paper towels, toothpaste and personal items that can't be purchased with food stamps are also needed.

"The community is really stepping out," she said.

Heart and Hand House Inc. of Philippi also has several charitable programs available for the community. The organization provides year-round emergency financial assistance and food baskets for families in need. It also hosts a Christmas toy sale each December.

Heart and Hand Executive Director Robert "Bob" Wilkins said it's still too early to determine if the need for services will be greater this holiday season.

"What I've noticed, people are calling in and checking to see what we are doing," Wilkins said. "I get a sense folks are getting nervous and not exactly sure how they are going to get through the holiday season. We've got more phone calls inquiring about our services, what we're doing and when we're doing it. From one standpoint it's very positive because the families we've worked with before usually wait until the last minute. Now they're calling in and we can be better prepared."

Wilkins said many families experienced financial difficulties last year and many aren't in much better shape this year.

He anticipates seeing an increase in services requested.

"I think maybe having experienced the downturn in the economy last year, and not being any better off this year, they want to know what's available for their family," Wilkins said. "I'm not sure if a lot more folks are having financial problems this year, but I know the folks we are working with are not at a comfort level that they are going to be able to handle it themselves. Even though the economy seems to have stabilized, the comfort level for folks has not stabilized. I think they are still very uncomfortable with their personal economy."

Wilkins said the good news is Heart and Hand House does have plenty of food to distribute and encourages anyone in need to stop by the office and find out what type of assistance is available.

In Lewis County, St. Patrick's School Principal Paul Derico said it is a bit early to tell whether donations or requests for the donations will be up as students and staff at the Weston school start on their annual holiday projects.

In conjunction with the local Catholic Daughters organization, the school collects canned goods and non-perishable food items that will be distributed in baskets for Christmas dinners.

The Catholic Daughters provide meat, fruit and items not covered by the students' donations.

"We try to find families in need," Derico said. "Anybody that requests (help) for a family, we will be glad to honor that."

Derico said donations last year were "great," adding that the classrooms have a competition to see which one can collect the most food. The school just kicked off its campaign this week.

The students also participate in a drive to collect toys, gloves and mittens for needy children.

Students are also asked to donate $1 so that the school can adopt an "angel" from the tree at Citizens Bank. That money is used to purchase Christmas gifts for needy families.

The staff also adopts a person instead of having a gift exchange.