This week, ABC "World News" anchor Diane Sawyer returned to her hometown of Louisville, KY to see how her city was faring in the face of the lagging economy.
Louisville is struggling as much as any other American city, with an unemployment rate right on par with the national average of 9.6 percent, ABC reports.
But as Sawyer discovers, the people of Louisville are thinking creatively to help each other get through difficult times.
One multidenominational ministry, M.U.S.C.L., is working with utility companies to help pay the bills of its down-at-the-heels neighbors.
Others, like Flavorman, a small company that produces beverage flavors, found another way to give back even when it had to reduce its workforce by 25 percent-- It started a drive to collect and donate hundreds of shoes.
"It seems counterintuitive, but it's always been a part of what I know, when you give, you receive," Flavorman founder David Dafoe explained. "We always stuck to our core values of the philosophy of the company and the culture of the company and that's how we got through."
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To read more about Sawyer's visit home and to learn more about the Louisville residents and organizations who are giving back, visit ABCnews.com.