Stimulus Money only Helped Temporarily

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The federal stimulus program saved a senior center in Providence, R.I., from certain death last year.

But the salvation proved fleeting.

Now that the stimulus funds have run out, the Fox Point Senior Center may be forced to close its door this winter, leaving its 140 members with no place to go for a hot meal, socializing and exercise. As it is, there's only one staffer left to handle all the center's programs and seniors' needs.

"The stimulus was a Band-Aid to get us through the last year," said Melanie Borges, the center's director and sole employee. "But now we're back to scrambling."

Stimulus recipients across Rhode Island and the nation are struggling to survive now that the federal funding is running dry. States are already warning of even harsher spending cuts next July, when they have to balance their budgets without the extra help from Washington, D.C. - CNN