Over the past year, the unemployment rate in Lowndes County has grown from 6% to more than 8%.

That's still less than the state and national rates of 10.2%.

However Georgia's unemployment fund is hurting and could run out of money in a little more than a month's time.

The local department of labor office said it's doing everything in it's power to help to help the jobless.

The Career Center Manager, Richard Ramsey said, "There's still a lot of people looking for work and we're trying to help them in every way we can through various programs that we have and workshops."

The Labor Commissioner's office said whether they receive federal help or not, everyone collecting unemployment will continue to receive their payments on time.

The commissioner, Michael Thurmond, said he's deciding if he will make the request during the second week of December.

24 other states have already submitted similar requests.