Local charities are bracing for what could be a challenging holiday season.
Many are seeing an increased demand for services just as contributions and donations are dropping.

Peoria's Friendship House recently increased its service area to another zip code.
While that is part of the reason they're seeing more folks Friendship House officials say they're seeing more middle class families come to the food pantry.
Administrators say in September and October of last year they had 269 people coming to the pantry.
This year the number jumped up to 570 for the same two months.

"People don't have it. The ones that were giving, they're still giving but they're not giving as much because their families are in need. It goes straight across the board. Even though those that could afford to give and put in extra stuff in the plates and gave the extra can goods, now they're needing some of those at home," Friendship House Emergency Services Director Betty Menson said.

Menson says the Friendship House has limited the number of people included in it's Christmas adopt a family program to about 180 due to fewer sponsors this year.

The Peoria Salvation Army just kicked off its annual Red Kettle Campaign.
Kettle donations help support the agency's food, housing and other programs.
But, with the economy in such a crunch... Salvation Army officials are concerned about how much money this year's kettle drive will raise.