Anticipating an end-of-winter spike in the number of people requesting basic aid from social service agencies, Pittsburgh's foundation leaders met yesterday to prepare for the crush and ready an emergency response.

The Pittsburgh Foundation and the United Way of Allegheny County will jointly administer a new fund, born of the national economic crisis, that will tend to Pittsburgh's hungry, its out-of-work and its short-on-cash, helping them pay rent, mortgages and utility bills.

"We're all in this together, and we're coming up with very concrete plans," said Bob Nelkin, United Way president.

They've set no fundraising target, but in discussions yesterday, the foundation leaders asked the 60 or so community agency officials they met with how they'd best put to use an emergency fund of more than half a million dollars.

Some of that money could be used to leverage cash already sitting in the Dollar Energy Fund, which can be accessed if first matched with private donations.

"No matter how much money we're able to raise, it is likely to be a drop in the bucket compared to the ultimate need that the community will have," said Grant Oliphant, CEO at the Pittsburgh Foundation.

"But what it can do is help the community get through a very difficult crisis moment, over the course of the next six to nine months."

Mr. Oliphant and Mr. Nelkin said February and March could bring higher demand for services -- emergency utility aid usually runs out around then, and with the state planning a round of budget cuts because of a billion-dollar revenue shortfall, county aid and social services programs could see reduced funding.

Part of the challenge will be letting first-time users of the network of social services know how to get the help they need.

"These are people who have been employed. They've never had to ask for assistance before," Mr. Oliphant said. "If you were suddenly let go from your job, and you needed help with paying the rent, where would you go?"

The Pittsburgh Foundation and United Way officials, along with Allegheny County's Department of Human Services, will be part of the allocation board, which will decide where and when the money is spent.

That board will likely hold its first meeting in the next few weeks.