Sadly, when the economy stumbles and people start to loose their jobs, nonprofit organizations catering to the poor and hungry are often harder hit than many other sectors. The irony is that’s just when the need for their services is greatest, as reflected in recent comments from officials at area food banks and shelters. When people are suffering, those best positioned and most experienced at helping to alleviate some of that pain find themselves having to work harder and with fewer resources in order to fulfill their mission.

Volunteering at your local shelter, after-school program, Meals on Wheels and other charities goes a long way towards relieving some of that pressure, but money — good, old-fashioned greenbacks — can do just as much good, if not more. We’ve all been told for years that the gift of one’s time is just as important as that of one’s money, but sometimes I think we forget the latter. I’ve been told many times that time is more precious than money, but while that may be the case within the home and among one’s family members, it’s a different matter when we’re talking about philanthropy.

Charities need hard cash as much as they need warm bodies. Warm bodies can’t pay rent, keep the lights on, fill the food pantry and pay the much-needed and low-paid staff members who keep the charity running day-to-day. They need people to distribute food, ladle the food into plates at the soup kitchen, sort through piles of donated clothing and collect large donations from households, but they also need money to keep themselves running and to perform all those little administrative tasks that are necessary in any organization and which often cannot be delegated to a volunteer.

If you have money to spare and would like to assist area families and their children, whip out your checkbook and donate to your favorite nonprofit, whether it’s your church, the food bank, the library or any number of other worthy organizations locally and around the country. It’s a great feeling to give money away. Few things in life will make you feel richer, no matter how much or how little you have of your own.