Disaster relief agencies, facing natural disasters that won't quit coming and a challenging economy that's crimping fundraising, need a little relief themselves these days.

Take the Salvation Army, for instance.

The division covering Kansas and western Missouri just spent $20,000 helping tornado victims in Chapman and Manhattan, Kan. But it didn't have that much in its emergency relief fund, nor did it collect enough to cover that effort.

So it had to raid its general fund, which supports all the other assistance to the needy the charity provides. Now it's asking for community support to replenish both funds.

"These disasters are one after the other after the other," said Amanda Waters, community relations director for this division.

Read the complete story at kansascity.com.