HONOLULU -- Jo-Anne Gamble said she is still reeling over the sudden loss of her job at the Aloha United Way after 19 years of service.

Gamble said she was suddenly laid off on Friday along with three others, KITV reported.

"I was told that my job had been redefined and that this was my last day," said Gamble. "I was very hurt and very surprised about the whole thing."

Gable said she is upset about her job but also about the way the layoffs were handled.

"I understand that things change. But the way they treated me was very bad," said Gamble.

She said she was never offered the opportunity to apply for newly created or vacated positions.

"They gave me my 3 weeks severance pay and that was it," said Gamble.

Gamble said she also was not offered the early retirement option she may be entitled to.

At 55 years old, she's said she's now forced to apply for unemployment benefits as she sends out resumes.

"I suspect it may be a little hard at 55, because I don't think a lot of people will hire me this late in the game," said Gamble.

Officials with the Aloha United Way told KITV that they were forced to lay off four people on Friday, and that it will lay off six more on April 1, when its 211 referral service transitions from coverage seven days a week to a Monday through Friday service.

"We saw a shortfall in our campaign this past year of $1 million," said Aloha United Way president Susan Doyle.

Doyle said they ran their fundraising campaign as always, but came up short.

"I think a lot of it is just the economy and people having to think harder about where they put their discretionary dollars," said Doyle.

Doyle also had a message for the four full-time employees let go on Friday.

"I'd like to say to them that I'm sorry they feel that way, and I'm sorry that we had to do this. But we did feel we had to take this action to balance the interests of the employee and the company," said Doyle.

The Aloha United Way said its 211 referral service will be open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. starting on April 1. Officials said weekend calls will be taken by voicemail and returned as soon as possible.

The organization said its next general fundraising campaign is scheduled to begin in September.