Nonprofits struggle to meet rising demand

But two months after Gov. Deval Patrick’s announcement of significant budget cuts and spending controls to close a state budget gap of more than $1 billion, the question remains: How long will those needs be met?

One agency affected by the budget cuts was Horizons for Homeless Children, which provides educational resources for preschool-aged homeless youth and helps families get back on their feet.

“It’s making it a little bit tighter for us to be able to do all our programs across the state,” said executive director Sue Heilman, who said the agency is “hoping [that] with conservative budgeting and good donations, we’ll be able to make that cut up.”

Heilman did note one silver lining. With funding stretched to its limit and Horizons relying heavily on its stable of volunteers, she said the agency has seen a spike in people signing up to help out because they know there’s so much extra need.

As they adjust to the difficult financial circumstances, many nonprofits are trying to find creative ways to continue to provide services and address the dangers of homelessness and hunger.

“We need to find a bunch of cures” when it comes to dealing with the problems, said Ellen Parker, executive director of statewide anti-hunger organization Project Bread.

Finding those cures is particularly important as the temperature continues to drop. Many are worried about the crunch expected to come after the holidays.

“Like everyone else, we’re really concerned about January and February,” Parker said.

To help limit fallout, Project Bread is focusing advocacy efforts on securing and making the most of the Commonwealth’s federal allocation.

“We’re making sure Massachusetts gets all the federal dollars it’s entitled to,” she said.

For Parker, that means ensuring that every student eligible for free or reduced-cost breakfast and lunch is getting that food, as well as helping seniors in need to get food stamps.

“As a first line of defense, the quality of food should [be] improved to [the] highest standard,” she said, adding that enrolling every eligible Massachusetts student into the federal nutrition programs will bring millions of dollars of aid into the state.

Many food pantries are also working together to make sure they’re distributing as much food as they can to pantry visitors. After one company donated an entire tractor trailer of prepackaged salad to the Red Cross, Schnellmann called other area pantries to share the excess.

“That was more even than we can use,” she said. “By working together, we maximize all our food.”

Parker has said that Project Bread will dip into its emergency fund if necessary, but remains optimistic about Massachusetts’s ability to deal with the crisis.

“I feel fortunate that we’re living in a state that’s a very compassionate state,” she said. “I get a sense people can work together and work through the winter.”

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