As the recession worsened and more people ended up losing their jobs, it could have been a losing formula this Christmas season.

Some feared that contributors to the needy would be reduced or the amount of those contributions would dwindle. Others feared the increase in those needing assistance would create more demand than supply.

‘‘I think a lot of us were worried about everybody cutting back, but so far it’s panning out,’’ Patricia Jordan, who was concerned about the well-being of her household of 14 that included her sister’s family, told the Associated Press as she attended the Freestore Foodbank in Cincainnati. ‘‘You can’t ask for any more than that, that they’re still willing to help.’’

National trends do show corporations scaling back on contributions in wake of troubling financial times.

The AP reports that about one-third of companies surveyed cut 2007 charitable giving and indications are more reductions were expected this year.

“It’s a conflict, no question. How do you keep giving when you have laid off employees and are making other cost cuts?” said Charles Moore, the executive director of the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philantrhopy.

Yet those trends have not stopped people from being served because organizers work to fill the need each year community by community.

That was certainly the case in Lawrence County where food drives and toy drives were too numerous to name. Those who gave here also did so in the face of adversity and once again delivered … in more ways than one.