Governmental or Private Assistance

There was a time in the U.S., and most of the Western world in fact, where private organizations and institutions provided the majority of assistance to those in need in our society. In the past few decades, we have become increasingly dependant on that type of support and assistance coming from the federal and state governments. Is that healthy? Desirable? Is it just a measure of the scale of the needs present in our society today, or have private organizations let their proper roles in developing compassionate and effective solutions just slip away? What do you think?