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The signs of troubled times are all around us.

Whether it's layoffs, cutbacks, or cost-savings in the business arena or at home, the theme is consistently oft-repeated: batten down the financial hatches and try and ride out the storm.

Perhaps no greater a signal of the current financial crunch came Wednesday morning in the form of a special appeal from the United Way of Greater Toronto.

The organization, an umbrella body for more than 200 social service agencies in the city, is facing a fundraising shortfall for the first time in more than a decade. With two weeks to go in the current campaign, launched last September, the $110-million fundraising goal is short by $4-million.

This news is significant for a number of reasons, including the fact that the impending shortfall is a situation that is quite rare for the organization. Indeed, the United Way in this city has successfully met and surpassed its fundraising goal (which has annually increased) on each occasion for more than a decade.

Given the myriad of agencies that depend on the United Way for support, what's included among those offerings is a wide range of services that speak directly to challenges people are currently facing as a result of a faltering economy - like affordable housing and employment training, to name a couple.

Given that the strain on these and other services will intensify (if it hasn't already) because the need is so acute, tough times are less of a reason to cut back on donations. Statistics show that during the last fundraiser, individual donations formed a critical percentage - 63 per cent - of the funds raised.

The Toronto chapter's situation announced this week is certainly not unique, given the news of funding shortfalls in sister organizations throughout the province.

Each community, however, has its own set of unique challenges to face. By virtue of its size and diversity and make-up, Toronto, its neighbourhoods, communities, and the respective organizations that were created to serve them, faces arguably the most complicated challenge of all.

In hard times, we look for strength and compassion in our communities to carry us through; indeed we rely on those qualities more now than during any other time.

If we are able to heed the plea for a financial lift, we should all - as residents, and members of the community - do what we can.

This is a city that has a well-earned reputation for generosity, for giving especially when it matters. Truth be told, while it has always mattered, it certainly matters even more now.

To make a donation or for more information, visit unitedwaytoronto.com or call 416-777-2001.