Buffeted by shrinking donations and investment losses, the Muscular Dystrophy Association has eliminated its program to help people with the disease buy wheelchairs, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The $6-million-a-year program provided grants of up to $2,000 for wheelchairs. The charity, best known for its annual Labor Day telethon hosted by the entertainer Jerry Lewis, said the sour economy forced it to make the cuts. It has also laid off staff members and trimmed research grants and aid to its 200 U.S. clinics.

An association spokesperson blamed the cuts on the weak economy, which has driven down contributions and hit the charity’s investments. The organization, which maintains headquarters in Tucson, Ariz., ran a $42-million deficit in 2008, according to tax records.