Thor Restaurant

Unemployment keeps climbing and the number of foreclosed homes is growing. But throughout the city, the economic downturn is bringing New Yorkers together in small ways to support one other through the hard times.

Bars are advertising longer happy hours. Barbers are offering “recession special” haircuts. In Brooklyn, Restaurant Week has been extended to a month.

Last week, Lower East Side butcher Jeffrey Ruhalter organized a dinner for 150 people after seeing his customers struggle to pay for food. He convinced local merchants and the Thor and Essex restaurants to pitch in to mount what was billed as a “recession dinner.”

The goodwill gesture uplifted many of the guests, helping give them the strength to continue the tough search for work.