With expenses up and monetary donations down, Christian Care in Rock Island is being forced to lay off half of its workforce.  That leaves just nine employees for both the domestic violence shelter and the rescue mission.  It's a tough blow to the long-time non-profit organization.

"We need to keep the doors open we need to encourage people on the streets. We need to keep feeling them, giving them clothing, and without the donations that isn't going to happen," said Christian Care Resident Steven Wallace.

 Wallace tells us if the facility had to close its doors he would have no where else to go.

"I'd be out on the street, looking for work with no place to live." Wallace adds, "the only thing they could really cut back on or cut out entirely would be the whole place.  If that happens there are going to be a lot of hungry people and a lot of people on the streets."

More than 20 men live at the mission and hundreds eat there every day.  The organization's domestic violence shelter is also at its capacity.

"This place is a God send for a lot of people.  It gives them the leg up. It gives them the direction to go.  Without it, I don't think that would happen," said Development Director Margaret Babbitt.

She says there isn't a lack of giving. They have plenty of food and clothes for both the shelter and the mission.

She says, "We need money. It needs to go into a general operating fund to pay the salaries to pay the electricity bill, to pay our heat bill, to pay to run our kitchen that serves 42,000 meals a year."

Babbitt says they will keep applying for grants and asking for help from the community.