HEMBY BRIDGE -- Mario Walls was behind in his utility bill and couldn’t afford rent. A friend told him about Crisis Assistance Ministry.

“I was kind of skeptical about going because I didn’t think they would help me,” Walls said, “but ... they looked out for me.”

Walls pays child support for his 18-year-old son and gets his 5-year-old son on the weekends. He thought the agency would be more willing to help a father whose children live with him.

He also thought Crisis Assistance was a church ministry, but soon found out it is only one of several United Way agencies.

Walls first went to the Department of Social Services, where he was referred to Crisis Assistance.

“The man’s supposed to be the one ... that’s supposed to be able to take care of himself” and his family, he said. “I felt upset because I had to go over there. ... I felt like, ‘Well, I should have been able to do it,’ but I couldn’t.”

Walls said other men probably struggle with the same thing, but shouldn’t feel bad about asking for help.

Through grants and donations made to United Way, Crisis Assistance helps hundreds of people dodge homelessness each year. The agency provides emergency financial assistance so residents can stay in their own homes. Money goes directly to landlords, grocery distributors, medical providers or utility companies.

Before Walls moved from a two-bedroom to one-bedroom apartment to save money, he got behind in a rent payment. Crisis Assistance paid most of it, freeing up some of Walls’ funds to take care of the utility bill.

In his third year of employment with a local trucking company, Walls helps furnish and deliver construction supplies. He keeps a sporadic schedule.

“When housing went down, construction went down,” meaning temporary layoff for him and his co-workers. Walls works two weeks, then takes a week off. “If it rains, we can’t do anything, ... so they send us home.”

One week, he will work 40 hours; the next, 16. Lately, his hours have stayed on the low end, and he doesn’t expect them to pick up over the winter.

Walls draws unemployment, but the lack of work means fewer indulgences for himself and his youngest son.

Walls suppresses the urge to buy new clothes, but did shop for his son when school started this fall. He buys groceries only when his son comes to visit.

“There’s lots of stuff that he wants to do that I can’t do with him,” like going to the movies, he saids. “It’s $9 for an adult.”

Walls said his No. 1 priority is providing for his sons, but the youngest doesn’t hesitate to ask questions. “He’ll be like, ‘Dad, why don’t you have any money?’ … “I don’t know what I’m going to do for Christmas.”

Still, Walls is confident that his financial situation will turn around, thanks, in part, to help from Crisis Assistance. His dad also pitched in and gave him a car so he doesn’t have a car payment. “I’m trying not to get behind again,” he said. “It’ll work out.”

To United Way, he said he will be happy to give back. “I’ll do anything I can ’cause they really helped me out.”