As the nation's unemployment rate nears 10 percent, companies big and small are continuing to lay off workers and cut employee benefits.

But amid the economic chaos, some jobs and benefits have actually been saved. In some cases, co-workers and business owners have given up pay, taken unpaid furloughs, or even ponied up their own cash to help those who work for them.

Take a look at some of the efforts that people around the country have made to help keep friends, colleagues, and, in some cases, total strangers employed, and then let us know if you'd do the same.