HAMMOND | With the unemployment rate at its highest point in more than 25 years, township trustees' offices throughout Northwest Indiana and the south suburbs are seeing an influx of poor relief inquiries, and it's from a clientele who've never before had to ask for help.

"The demographics have drastically changed," North Township Trustee Frank J. Mrvan said. "It's people who have been consistently working their whole lives."

Mrvan, who serves Hammond, Whiting, East Chicago, Munster and Highland, said recent clients have run the gamut from single mothers to union pipefitters and college graduates. It's a universal situation.

"We were getting mostly the very poor for a long time, and now we're getting people who are out of work, who've been let go from their jobs. They're blue-collar and they're white-collar people who haven't looked for assistance previously, (and) are now looking for help," said Dan Sanaghan, administrator of Bloom Township, which includes Sauk Village, Lynwood, Glenwood and Chicago Heights.

The situation is the same in southern Lake County, where Winfield Deputy Trustee Carolyn Mellen said she's seeing more heads of households coming in than single moms.

"It's really hard for these humbled men, who are out of jobs, coming in for temporary assistance," she said.

West Creek Township Trustee Rick Niemeyer said oftentimes there's a sense of embarrassment that people who've never had to rely on public assistance feel when they ask for help. He said the confidentiality township trustees give helps many overcome their fear of being publicly labeled.

"It's a learning experience for people," Niemeyer said. "They don't want charity... I've had some cry. That's when I give them the speech: It's your money. You paid into this system."

Whether its for assistance in paying utility bills or food from area pantries, trustees report that all requests are up this year. In just North Township, utility assistance requests are up 36 percent and requests for emergency shelter are up 43 percent, Mrvan said, as people lose their homes to foreclosure or are unable to pay their rent due to unemployment.

"Our rent payout has doubled," said Beverley Good, a supervisor with the Hobart Township Trustee's Office, adding that the total number of families seeking assistance has increased approximately 40 percent due to people losing their jobs.

But while the number of people needing assistance continues to grow, the dollars available to help don't.

"A lot more people are needing our assistance; our coffers are low. We have to be more discriminating as to what can be covered," Mellen said.

In September, Center Township Trustee Eldon Strong asked his board to approve a $20,000 increase in his 2010 budget for assistance.

"We're asking for an increase because I don't see things getting any better," he said.

Ross Township Trustee John Rooda said if his township runs out of funds to provide assistance to residents, it will have to borrow money to continue providing help.

"We're not out of this economic mess by any stretch," Rooda said.

While Rooda would like to increase his budget to provide more assistance, he said it would be difficult to do that because all of Lake County is suffering financially.

Niemeyer said an energy assistance program funded through federal dollars has helped make ends meet, but that funding is set to expire shortly.

"There's going to be more of a burden once the energy assistance program goes away," he predicted. "As time goes by this winter, the caseloads are going to increase."

Bob Storman, director of community and public relations with Thornton Township in Illinois, said this year's energy fair provided $50,000 in utility bill help, the most the township has ever offered.

He said Thornton Township, which provides services to 27 south suburbs, also is seeing requests for family counseling due to the stress many families find themselves under.

And while some are finding it difficult to find the resources needed to live, families are finding it equally difficult to afford death.

So far this year, Cedar Creek Township has helped pay for four funerals, Trustee Alice Dahl said. Usually, the southern Lake County township pays for one a year. With the increase, Dahl said she's reduced the township's burial assistance from $1,000 each to $600.

In North Township, Mrvan said burial assistance is provided to between 100 and 150 people annually, and with Hess Cemetery in Hammond full, the township is out of pauper's graves. Mrvan said most people who receive township assistance receive a simple cremation, but if a family can find a reasonably-priced burial site, it may be granted. Mrvan warned, though, that state law requires families work with the township prior to the burial. Mrvan said families who bury their loved one, then go to the township with their bills, will not receive any assistance.

Times staff writers Jeanette Lach, Deborah Laverty, Kathleen Quilligan, Chas Reilly and Vanessa Renderman, and correspondent Melanie Csepiga contributed to this report.