In this tight economy, local agencies got some free money Wednesday to help the growing number of people in need. The Department of Children and Families approved nearly $7 million in grants; half a million stays right here in Southwest Florida at places that help feed the hungry and shelter the homeless.

State lawmakers say we're in a dire budget crunch for next year. They've already axed any requests for community agencies in the 2009 - 2010 budget. Local agencies we talked to say the grant money came just in time.

Southwest Florida Addiction Services has received one of the biggest chunks of money -- $192,000.

On Wednesday, the community-based non-profit tore down its half-way house, which was home to nine women. It will use the money to rebuild a bigger building. One woman WINK News talked to says the home saved her life.

"I was homeless and living in my car," Regan Corbitt says. "I lost my house and my kids. I had nothing."

Nothing, Corbitt says, but a serious drug problem.

Down and out, Corbitt turned to Southwest Florida Addiction Services to break her habit.

"They help me by being there," she says.

And, by giving her a little TLC. She's lived at the Transitional Living Center, a place she says saved her life.

"I'm now going to school, I talk to my kids on a regular basis, and I'm starting to put everything back together," Corbitt says.

Jeff Becker knows her struggle.

"I never thought I'd be alive this long," he says.

A recovering alcoholic, Jeff faced jail time or a new lease on life.

"From being homeless and an addict to owning my own business and doing a lot of service work for AA -- yeah it's just a 180," Becker says.

He credits the Salvation Army and the program Living Independently For Today (LIFT) for lifting him back on his feet.

"They got me in my first apartment, helped me get life going, pay my bills, learn how to do all that stuff -- bills went in the file cabinet before," Becker says.

Now the bills get paid -- from the first-time home owner's new house.

In a time when a record number of people need help, government grant money means these non-profits can continue to provide a helping hand.

"We used to see 10-20 families at our pantry a day and now we're now seeing 50-60 families everyday," Megan Spears of Lee County Salvation Army says.

She says the money is a "sigh of relief."

This is National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, and local agencies will be able to put the money to use immediately.

Grant recipients include:
Southwest Florida Addiction Services: $205,300
Charlotte County Homeless Coalition: $144,400
Collier chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness: $6,336
Collier Shelter for Abused Women and Children: $40,896
St. Matthew's House: $10,272
Collier Hunger and Homeless Coalition: $38,496
Salvation Army of Lee County: $14,400
Community Cooperative Ministries: $14,400
LIFT (Living Independently for Today): $14,400