CABARRUS COUNTY, N.C. -- There is more fallout from the massive funding cuts by the United Way of the Carolinas and it's not just in Charlotte.

Member agencies in Anson, Union, Cabarrus and parts of Iredell County are also watching their budgets shrink now.

NewsChannel 36 went to Cabarrus County's American Red Cross chapter, one of the hardest hit agencies in the county.

Overall, the chapter will see a 44 percent decrease in funding in three areas, which is far more than anyone with the organization expected.

The breakdown looks like this:

38% in Emergency Services
76% in Health and Safety
45% in Blood Services

All of that money used to come from the United Way.

"Our explanation was just quite simply there just isn't an adequate number of dollars available for us to fund your programs," Nancy Litton, from the Red Cross, said.

Now, the organization is forced to find other ways to get by.

Litton is the executive director of the American Red Cross chapter in Cabarrus County. She says the biggest impact from all this will be on employees.

"The ability for us to have employees will be the biggest impact on our budget," Litton said.

The agency has already turned paid positions into volunteer positions to save money.

Those changes were made before the United Way's big announcement, but Litton says it's possible it could happen again.

"I'm not sure what we'll look like after we finish looking at exactly how we can deliver services," Litton said.

The Red Cross isn't planning to do away with any of its services.

It will still assist in disasters and times of need, but things will be different.

The organization may not be able to provide supplies for blood drives.  Food, drinks and utensils may need to come in the way of donations from the businesses that sponsor the drives.

"We may have to turn back and say one of your partner roles will now be to ensure the soft drinks, napkins, cups, the ice all of this things are available," Litton said.

All of its programs and lines of service will continue with cost-saving measures and expense elimination, but there's still concern cuts will have to be made down the road.

"If our creativity and our plea to the community for support really does not materialize, then there could be things we would have to cut," Litton said.

Programs that have traditionally been offered for free may not be with this cut in funding.  First aid classes could be affected as well as others.

"We may find we have to attach a small fee to attend those programs," Litton said.

She doesn't expect that to potentially happen until the later part of 2010 into 2011.

The Red Cross will be relying more now than ever on volunteers and donations from the community.

For information on volunteering, visit http://cabarruscounty.redcross.org.