The town's Council on Aging and Social Services department is on overload. The economic decline and its resulting unemployment rate have contributed to an increase in the need for services and has taken a toll on the supply of donated food and clothing that the department distributes to residents in need, said Director Marica Griswold.

"The need is great, and we no longer have a Welfare Department in Wareham, so if people need any sort of emergency help they come here," she noted. "The number of people looking for help has definitely increased over the past year."

The reality Griswold described reflects the hardships being felt throughout the nation. According to an internal study conducted by the Salvation Army, more people across the country were in need of assistance last year, but nearly two-thirds of their programs saw a decrease in food and monetary donations.

Low-income families and the elderly are not the only residents seeking help from the COA. A growing number of underemployed workers and young families with newborns are in search of fuel assistance and transportation, said COA Outreach Coordinator Carol Desmond.

"This organization is run on donations," explained Desmond. "Individuals are our greatest resource." The COA is in need of canned food, especially protein like tuna fish and Spam, gently-worn men's jackets, children's clothing, gloves, scarfs, and blankets.

Anyone who wishes to donate can drop off items between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at the Council on Aging office, located at 48 Marion Road, or contact Marcia Griswold at 508-291-3130 to learn about other ways to help.