It's hard to track exactly how many homeless people there are in Orange County. But as our Christian Farrell reports, there are concerns that the number may soon be on the rise.

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MIDDLETOWN, N.Y. -- The less fortunate families of Orange County have relied on RECAP for nearly 50 years. But officials with the Regional Economic Community Action Program are now concerned they may no longer be able to help. The anti-poverty agency says cuts to the federally funded community service block grants could cripple its mission.

"If we get a drastic cut in those funds, it's going to affect what RECAP does," said John Pagan of RECAP.

What RECAP does, according to Board of Directors President John Pagan, is find shelter for the homeless and food for the hungry.

RECAP success stories were heard Wednesday in Goshen. There, agency officials held a news conference highlighting to its clients the hit the organization will take if nearly $300,000 in grant money goes away.

"There is an economic benefit to your community that will be lost if these funds are cut and these programs are not available anymore," said RECAP board member John Cappello.

If the federal funding cuts become a reality, RECAP officials say one program casualty may be the emergency food pantry that operates here in the City of Middletown. Last November, it provided 500 needy families with food baskets for the Thanksgiving holiday. The pantry also helps feed more than 100 area families each month.

"These are families who need the help that wouldn't receive this help without the food pantry," Cappello said.

Other services facing either reduction or elimination include health insurance support and housing placement for veterans.