After managing a mall store for 10 years, and working a second job at a local restaurant, it has been hard on a Northumberland woman, who asked not to be identified, to now spend her days at home because of illness that has plagued her since January.

The 48-year-old suffers with breathing and heart problems and has been forced to rely on disability payments.

“Everything just kicked in at once,” she said. “It was a big change.”

“I didn’t even want to go on disability,” she said. “My doctor told me I had to do a reality check.”

Her 54-year-old husband was laid off from his job four years ago, after work at the private company he was employed with in Sunbury drastically slowed. His unemployment payments ran out in 2006.

He tries to find odd jobs wherever he can, she said. But they have no assured income from day-to-day.

The Baker family faces a bleak Christmas, and without the help of the Needy Family Fund, they would have no Christmas to speak of, according to William Baker.

“It’s really embarrassing to ask for help like this,” said the young woman on the other end of the phone. “Please don’t use our real names.”

Stephanie and her husband were flooded out of their home in 1996.

A fulltime job isn’t quite enough to make ends meet this Christmas for the Davis family.

“Struggling” and “grateful” are two words that describe Anne-Marie Merrill this year.

Mickie struggled over the years providing for herself and her two children, 12-year-old Sharanda and 9-year-old Dustin.

A single mother of two children, Rebecca said she is having trouble making ends meet this holiday season.

Jessica and Kenneth enjoyed a healthy income, owned their home and each drove a brand-new vehicle when they lived in New Hampshire.