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A college professor recently stopped by The Servant Center in Greensboro looking for food for her family.

"You could see the strain in her face - she was willing to do whatever it took to feed those children," said Shanna Reece, the nonprofit's deputy director. "We are seeing folks who were always able to support themselves who for the first time are ... having to make choices between paying for food and paying the mortgage."

At a gathering of nonprofits that Reece attended at the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro, everyone had a story or statistic about people struggling through the early cold weather and a sluggish economy.

The increasing demand on services to feed and shelter the needy is fueling "Operation Greensboro Cares," a three-week effort kicking off today to raise cash for those working to provide the bulk of the need in the greater Greensboro area. The urgency in raising money is evident in the fact that many participating nonprofits, including the United Way of Greater Greensboro, are also in the midst of separate campaigns to raise millions for programs that are also under pressure to provide more services, such as Family Service of the Piedmont.

"I don't feel good starting a 'first annual December campaign,'" said Maj. Paul Egan of the Salvation Army of Greensboro, with similar sentiment echoed around the room. "I do like the idea of responding to the 'economic hurricane' that's going on."

The idea isn't to raise the money to open a shelter or another food bank, but to possibly provide the emergency assistance that would help a family pay the power bill so they can stay in their own home - and not add to the waiting list at the Urban Ministry's Pathways Center. To do that, the fund would help existing programs that need an infusion of cash to continue providing food and emergency shelter.

Funds will be distributed directly to local organizations including The Servant Center, Senior Resources of Guilford, the Salvation Army of Greensboro, Lutheran Family Services, FaithAction International House, Greensboro Urban Ministry and Food Not Bombs, as well as other organizations that provide emergency food and shelter.

Organized by the United Way of Greater Greensboro, the effort does not have an official dollar goal but is focused on getting those who are more fortunate - who still have a job, a roof overhead or the ability to even think about holiday spending - to help those who are trying to regain their footing.

"As the numbers have gone up, the level of anxiety has gone up," said Liz Seymour, of Food Not Bombs, who has seen the number of people showing up for a Monday meal recently double to 80. "The mood has definitely changed."

The fundraising idea was sparked by a conversation between Keith Barsuhn, the local executive director of the United Way, and News & Record publisher Robin Saul, who wanted to find a way for the community to get involved.

"This need's growing so significantly, and it's something, if left not addressed, will cost our community in the long run," Barsuhn said.

The News & Record, WFMY and other local media will work to get the word out about the struggles.

Every day, for example, the emergency assistance office at Greensboro Urban Ministry is full - with many, like the college professor, putting aside pride to find help with basic needs.

"I've never seen it like this," said the Rev. Mike Aiken, executive director of the nonprofit.

The Pathways shelter has a waiting list. Shelter requests there and at the Salvation Army are up 30 percent from the same time last year. The number of people seeking a daily meal at the Potter's House has grown from 350 to nearly 500.

"We're seeing a lot of people pushed back to working one, two, three days a week, and that can knock a whole family into homelessness," said Leilani Roughton of Lutheran Family Services, which provides an array of social services. "We had to cut off referrals a couple of weeks ago."

Roughton has heard from other nonprofits about families using outdoor grills indoors to heat their homes, which could lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.

She knows of clients who are afraid they won't be able to pay their bills. So many agencies are low or out of cash that it's hard to find one to refer them to, Roughton said.

"I don't know what to tell them sometimes, and it's hard," Reece said of those they simply cannot help. "I say 'Have you called here, here and here?' and they say 'Yes.'"

Senior Resources of Guilford can't accept new clients and has put 21 people who qualify on a waiting list. Each fall the agency expects an influx of cash from the state to expand home delivery and this year increased its daily numbers from 380 to 433. But the money never came.

"That was a significant hit for us," said Ellen Whitlock, executive director of the nonprofit, which provides health and wellness services to senior citizens.

Money raised for the emergency assistance fund, which was begun in response to Hurricane Katrina and the immediate needs of survivors who made their way to the greater Greensboro area, will be disbursed by a committee of people who do not provide direct assistance in those areas.

Organizers also want to engage volunteers.

"The outpouring of this community after Hurricane Katrina was absolutely amazing," Aiken said. "If we could just funnel that type of enthusiasm."

Contact Nancy McLaughlin at 373-7049 or nancy.mclaughlin@news-record.com