• Posted on Tuesday, October 7, 2008
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Outlook 'bleak' for help agencies

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Before the doors opened, more than 150 people gathered at the Salvation Army in Bradenton on Monday morning waiting for assistance.

The long lines shocked the agency's most seasoned veterans.

Normally, Salvation Army workers expect to see fewer than 10 people on the first Monday of the month at its 14th Street West center, according to Maj. Robert Pfeiffer. But the parking lot was jammed as people waited for food and rent and utility bill assistance.

Other local help agencies report similar spikes in need as the economic crisis deepens.

By mid-day Monday, volunteers at Our Daily Bread soup kitchen had served lunch to 222 people, a sharp increase over one year ago.

At Manatee Food Bank, run by Meals on Wheels Plus, requests for food are up 170 percent over last year.

Read the complete story at bradenton.com

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ECONOMY IN TURMOIL

economy in turmoil

Read McClatchy coverage of the economic pain Americans around the country are feeling, from Florida to California to Alaska.

ECONOMY QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

 hall & pugh

McClatchy correspondents Kevin G. Hall (left) and Tony Pugh are available to answer your questions about the economic meltdown at home and abroad, and what's in store for ordinary Americans.

Q&A: THE HOUSING CRISIS

Mark Zandi, the chief economist for Moody's Economy.com, is took questions from McClatchy readers about the nation's deep housing crisis. His book, "Financial Shock," offers a 360-degree look at what caused the crisis, what mistakes were made and who made them. It offers a way forward to prevent future crises.

Q&A: TERMINAL CHAOS

U.S. air travel these days is about as fun as a trip to the dentist. Departure delays are rampant, bags often miss the flight you've caught and rising jet fuel prices have major airlines charging to check a bag. In his new book "Terminal Chaos," George Donohue, a professor and former high-level Federal Aviation Administration official, explains why our system of air travel is broken and what can be done to fix it. Read the responses.

Q&A: THE THREE TRILLION DOLLAR WAR

For two weeks, Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz and Harvard professor Linda Bilmes, authors of "The Three Trillion Dollar War," fielded questions about the cost of the Iraq war and its impact on the U.S. economy. They're not taking new questions, but they're still posting answers to ones they've already received. Read their responses.