An anonymous donor in honor of the Rev. Donna Britt, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, Roanoke

An anonymous donor in memory of deceased John C. Craghead family members

An anonymous donor in honor of Nancy S. Perdue

An anonymous donor in memory of Glen

Elaine and Wayne Shafer in honor of grandchildren Trey, Noah and Mady Shafer

Elaine Shafer in memory of Lynn Mooney

Evan Robinson and family in honor of Felicia Moorman, BRBH

Frith Anderson and Peake, PC in honor of its staff

Charlie and Lynn Schleupner

Sandra Carson in memory of her parents, Jim and Helen Carson

Larry and Lynn Stevens

Cassell, Stultz, Jones families in memory of all their deceased family members

Robert Bolling in memory of Billy Draper and John Gardner

Robert Bolling in memory of his mother, father, brother, son and niece

Robert Bolling in memory of Diane Hancock

Billie S. Lazore in memory of her beloved husband Ellray John Lazore

First United Methodist Church Salem, Faith Journey Group in honor of Carolyn Newell

First United Methodist Church Salem, Faith Journey Group in honor of Shelia Barber

Bea Overstreet in memory of Leroy and Thelma Light, Loyd and Louise Overstreet, Melvin, Jennie and Lark Williams, Lin Edlich

Robert Budin

Jacqueline Bolden and Jeane Marsh in memory of Mrs. Robbie Board

Marcia and Jeff Horn in memory of Robert M. Davidson

Betty J. Pence in honor of Dory and Bob Teter

Mary Ellen Darst in memory of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. E. Gilmer Darst

Agnes Hamilton in honor of South Roanoke Nursing Home staff and residents and in memory of her parents and her brother and sister

Tommy Hypes

Berkley Newbill

Nicholas, Kelly and Katie Varelos

Frieda and Charles Bostian

Betty Brown in memory of her husband Al Brown

Spencer and Susan Tinsley in memory of Smyth M. Meador

Anne H. Soukhanov in honor of Dr. Stephen Rosenoff

R.A. and Uldine Engleman

John and Hoye Duckworth in honor of Lucy Nase and in memory of Henry Nase, Frank and Katherine Duckworth

Allen Bures, Simone Poirier-Bures

Andrew and Anne DeLeo in memory of deceased family members

Nancy Mundy in memory of Fred and Leona Mundy

Paul L. Dillon in memory of Josephine Dillon

Wayne and Marianne Gandee

Max and Diane Leach in honor of George and JoAnne Craig and in memory of Ed Craig

Mary Alice Crockett in memory of Hill R. Crockett and Joseph M. Young

Shirley A. Thomas in memory of her dear parents, Vernon and Sara Lee Allen

The Thompson family

Elizabeth G. Deisher in memory of Bernard and Josephine Deisher

Calvary Baptist Church Staff in honor of members of Calvary Baptist Church of Roanoke

Gale and Ann Zimmerman in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Mearl Helems and Mr. and Mrs. Julian Zimmerman

Jean Rzucidlo

Byrd Herd Lunch Bunch in honor of and in memory of Wm. Byrd High School Class of 1954

Lynn Webb Spiers in memory of her father, Frank Webb, and Roger Varney, John Cronin, Jimmy Wade, Dick Skelley, Mary Francis Orndorff, Mimi Orndorff, and Rob Penn

Deborah Caldwell-Bono, attorney-at-law, and Ben Bono

Sugar and Watt Ellett in memory of Dr. Rufus, P. Ellett Jr., Bob Kulp, Ranny Becker and Dr. Sam Carter.

Watt Ellett in memory of Major and Sam

Milton and Mary Edgar Hendren

Cameron Johnson in memory of Skylar Corvin

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Lacey

Ann Marie and Reggie Wood in honor of St. John's Episcopal Church T.R.U.E. Volunteers

Tom and Joan Nasta in memory of Steve Williams

Jimmy, Laurie and Trevor Adams in memory of Winston and Jane Adams, Lawson and Maxine Stacy, their parents and grandparents

Kathryn McQuade in honor of her mother, Mary Jane Bova and in memory of her dad, Carl Bova

Becky Balzer in honor of her Townside Garden friends

Walt and Dianne Jones in memory of parents

An anonymous donor in memory of Dr. Tom Martin and Dr. Bob Pruner

The Roanoke Valley Charter Chapter of the American Business Women Association

Bill and Vaughnie Rea Orange in memory of their parents

Agnes and John Downie in honor of children: Kathleen, Rob, Jay, Bill and Steve and in memory of daughter Patricia and family

Howard "Slick" Fisher in honor of family and friends and in memory of family and friends

Roxanne Grisanti in honor of her love for Brandon

Hubert and Mary Hobbs in memory of M.H. Hobbs and Allie Mae Hobbs

Hubert and Mary Hobbs in memory of Gavin and Irene Sublett

Hubert and Mary Hobbs in memory of Elvin and Mildred Ingram

Mr. and Mrs. Dwight Hanna in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Claude Robertson and Mr. Jack Hanna

Pat Crawford in honor of Lambda Chapter Alpha Delta Kappa

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Crites in honor of their neighbors

Beverly M. (Jones) Hale in memory of son and husband: Bryan Keith Jones and Quentin Jones Jr.

Bill and Ann Johnson in honor of friends, neighbors and loved ones and in memory of those who will remain in their hearts forever

Agnes M. Levin in memory of Allen S. Levin

Ted Bogsrud in memory of Lee

Roger and Cindy Herald

C.M. Patterson

Curt and Jean Dickerson in memory of Ralph, H.A. Jr. (son), Russ Dickerson

Thompson Masonry in memory of Cathy Carroll

Betty Stanley in memory of Dr. Mac Stanley, DDS

Anne and Bates Killinger in honor of their uncles Bill Sherman and Hugh Wills

Sharon Mason in memory of Robert L. Mason and Ruby W. Farmer

Tommy and Cheryl Snead in memory of Jerry Deyerle, Michelle Waschler

Jeff and Lori Emry in memory of Shirley Frison

Friendship Class of Bethany Christian Church

Bobby and Sandra Boone in memory of their parents Earnest and Elizabeth Powers and Jim and Myrtle Boone

Emily R. Frisbie

Jean Riley McGrady in memory of her husband Dewey S. McGrady and their daughter Ireland McGrady Grady

Cynthia Barnhart in honor of Carol Chamberlain

Nancy S. Motley in memory of Harry E. Stump Jr.

Adam and Nathan Sulkin in honor of their grandparents, Maury and JoAnn Adams

Roy and Judy Mabry in honor of Anessa and Rocky Sink, Dick Sink, Bonnie Spangler, Dr. Bruce Long and Dr. Mark Smith -- who saved our lives

Roy and Judy Mabry in memory of Dianne Sink, Warren Greer and Eva Mabry

Louise Wimmer in memory of Ronald Wimmer

Rod and Dana DeWitt in honor of Ruby Stone and in memory of Allen Stone, Roscoe and Maude DeWitt

Mr. and Mrs. L. A. Alger in honor of Ernie and Ronnie and in memory of their parents

Kristin Williamson in honor of Carilion HIM staff

Marshall and Monika Mundy in memory of Bill Davis, Jonny Morgan, Bo Rogers, Virginia Shackelford, Toni Ferguson Shepherd and William "Stevi" Stephenson

Anonymous donors in memory of Anne

Victoria C. Baker in honor of parents Fulton and Betsy Clark

Victoria C. Baker in memory of grandparents George W. and Jane R. Drewry and J. Myron and Annie Sue Clark

The Spetzler Fund of the Foundation for Roanoke Valley

Sue and John Trinchere

Lora C. Hopkins

Brenda Hancock Horne in memory of her mother Rowena Hancock

Carl and Mary Bivens in memory of her sister Carolyn and loved ones

Carl and Mary Bivens in honor of family and friends

Christopher Kirk in memory of Deon Garren and in honor of our other valued 1-800 Radiator co-workers

David R. Carpenter in honor of Joseph and Cathy Bear

Gene Yagow in memory of Ben Winter

Christie Myers in honor of Michael Myers

Third-grade classes of West Salem Elementary School

ITT Night Vision

Jack and Madeline Shelor in memory of Beatrice Runyon and Catherine (Odell) Morris

Rhonda Gusler in memory of Cecil Carter

Connie B. Tickle in memory of Howard "Buddy" Jones

Nadine Dulaney in memory of Aston and Mary Quesenberry

The Childers, Brock and Shell families in memory of James "Jim" Childers

Don and Ila Kelley in memory of loved ones gone on

Howard W. Boise

Dick and Gail Kepley

Debra Hostetter in memory of Sam and Teenie Morris

Mr. Lorin Wiseman in memory of his mother Dorothy B. Sandwick

Richard and Sandy Short in memory of Shirley Sharp

Tom and Doris Berdeen

James and Frances Johnston in honor of Ann, Jerry, Ed, Judy, Edward, Brandy, Anne, Steve, Laura and Eric

Judith A. McCartney in memory of Fred R. and Anne McCartney

Frances Johnston in honor of Anne Sparger, Donna Vaughn, Linda Hash

Francine Claytor McLaughlin in memory of Dr. and Mrs. Frank William Claytor

Cynthia D. Starkey

John and Linda Addington

Grace Terry in honor of her siblings: Liz Reynolds, Frank Terry Jr. and Coles Terry

Judy and Garrett Hudgins in honor of Donna McAllister Forbes

Bill Overstreet in memory of Nita

Gary and Faye Reynolds in honor of grandchildren, Hunter and Alexis Bruce, and in memory of their son Scott Reynolds

Charles A. Blankenship in memory of Reginald L. Kinman

Michael and Patti Abbott

Terry and Marta Apple in honor of the staff of Blue Ridge Autism Center

Mrs. Janice Conley in memory of her husband, John C. Conley

Anne Macfarlane in honor of Joy Sylvester Johnson and the Reverend Burton

Ann and Bill Hackworth in honor of Jan and Mickey Dowling

Steve, Laura, Adam and Charlie Waldrop in honor of Luke and Dickie Waldrop, Preston, Jamie, PW, Chris, Tess, Caroline, Beau, Luke and Dulce, Laura, Bruce, Elliott, Grayson, Luke, Harriett, Kathy, Tom, John, Emily and Heather

Annie Masters' Salon in memory of her bodacious, loving self

Cheryl Thomas in memory of Margaret Bowles

Suzie and Randy Leslie

Bobbie Cornelison in memory of Bobby Heptinstall, Viola and Alfred Overstreet, Margaret and O.P. Cornelison

Diane Beason in honor of her children and in memory of Hazel Wickham

A.B. Kreger family in memory of Doris C. Kreger

Velma Davis in memory of Gene A. Davis

The Management Staff at Magnets USA in honor of Alan Turner and Dale Turner

Pediatrix and Carilion NICU employees in honor of Pediatrix and Carilion NICU employees

Donna Basham

Bill and Dana Lee

John Wynn Myers Class, Green Memorial United Methodist Church

Present Thyme Inc.

The recession "has affected more people this year," said Debbie Denison, executive director of Roanoke Area Ministries. "Last year, we weren't really feeling it. This year, it's not just the working poor, it's everyone."

The charity's Emergency Financial Assistance program, which is supported by The Roanoke Times' Good Neighbors Fund, provides assistance with rent, prescriptions and utility bills to the working poor and those in danger of becoming homeless because of an unexpected expense.

"As I read this year's profiles of those helped by the Good Neighbors Fund, I was reminded of how little separates many independent, hardworking families from falling into crisis," said Debbie Meade, president and publisher of The Roanoke Times and roanoke.com.

"When jobs are lost, or illness or injury stops paychecks from coming in, families who have been living on the edge have little reserves to draw on," she said.

The recession's widespread effects also seem to have caused a drop in donations. The 2009 Good Neighbors Fund drive officially ended Dec. 31, but contributions will be accepted until March 31, the end of RAM's fiscal year.

This year's total currently stands at $165,977, about $25,300 less than was raised by this time last year.

Because of the recent cold snap, Denison said, the agency has seen an increase in the number of people facing cut-off notices for their gas and electric service.

Each year, Denison and her staff try to divide the money sent in by readers of The Roanoke Times into 12 allotments, with most of the money designated for the coldest months.

Despite the drop in donations, "I'm beyond pleased," Denison said. "I couldn't guess how it was going to go. I'm surprised we got what we did."

"Because of the generosity of our readers, the Good Neighbors Fund is there to help people through," Meade said. "On behalf of all of us at The Roanoke Times, let me extend our sincerest thanks to everyone who contributed. Your gifts will make a huge difference to people confronted with emergencies they don't have the resources to handle."