DENISON, TX – While experts say the recession could come to an end in 2009, many Americans are still feeling the financial strain. So are the volunteer organizations that work to help them. And as we see in our Live United Report, now is the time they’re needed most.

For many Texomans, the recession has forced us to start budgeting, or cutting back on those “little extras”. But we never think that in the blink of an eye, we could be homeless.

"Absolutely not. I'm a mother of two. It never crossed my mind that I'd need a place like this,” said Norma McElyea. But she did. Norma ended up at the Grayson County Shelter.

"Homelessness is a symptom of poverty--not something so far removed it could never happen to us,” said Paige Furst, the Executive Director at the Shelter. She says the homeless who show up on her doorstep these days, don’t fit the stereotype, and there are more than you might think.

"They've had some crisis that's interfered with their ability to be self-reliant,” Furst said. “They've lost a job, lost their housing."

That’s what happened to Norma.

"Due to the economy, the people, I was living on their property, had to sell the land where I was staying, because he was laid off,” she said.

Then, she heard about the shelter.

"I was real afraid to come here, but once I did, they set my mind at ease,” McElyea said.

Open 24/7, every day of the year, the shelter offers housing for women and children for up to six months. Furst’s goal is to find folks permanent housing and employment.

"We have some case management so we can walk along with each resident week by week, to give them direction in accordance with whatever goals they need to accomplish,” Furst said.

Services that Norma, and up to 50 other residents, are grateful for.

"It just made me feel at home and welcome,” McElyea said.

"For us, the most rewarding thing is having someone come through the doors with nothing, and leave here with housing, with a job, having self esteem rebuilt,” Furst said.