GULF SHORES, Ala. — As companies cut back nationwide, people are lining up for financial assistance.

The request for food stamps and unemployment is growing, and in Baldwin County the numbers are trending up.

“Overall, we are seeing a huge increase in people who are being laid off,” Steve Wooley, manager of the Alabama Career Center System, said.

The state run department assists the public in finding a job, and Wooley said the number of people searching for employment is much higher now than this time last year.

“We’ve expanded our hours because of the influx,” Wooley said.

The new hours are 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The center works with a person to build their resume and adds it to a database searched by local businesses.

“We try to match people to jobs and help jobs find staff,” Wooley said.

Tara Hutchison, a spokesperson for the Department of Industrial Relations, which handles unemployment assistance, said they are seeing the rush too.

“Our call center is experiencing a 20 percent increase from this time last year,” she said.

Of the 67 counties in the state, Baldwin County is the 10th best state on the list — meaning they require a lower amount of assistance.

The county is actually only on a 5.7 percent increase from last year’s supply of unemployment.

The service usually systemized to provide funds to a person for 26 weeks has been extended in the last year with another extension awaiting approval. If approved this will allow the state to provide unemployment for 59 weeks, according to Hutchison.

The average unemployment collector gets $205 a week and must continue to find a job.

“It’s for people who have lost their job to no fault of their own,” Hutchison said. “It’s not for those who quit.”

Locally, the Alabama Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce offers assistance to job seekers. A list of contact info can be found at the Chamber complete with phone numbers, e-mail and human resource personnel for surrounding businesses.

Christian Service Center in Gulf Shores offers immediate care for those who find themselves in tight financial bind.

They provide a food package that will feed just one person or a whole family for a week.

The center also works with its clients to find long-term assistance, like food stamps.