GREENVILLE, S.C. -- The recession is threatening to shut down the Shriners Children’s Hospital in Greenville.

The hospital is one of five Shriners facilities across the country in jeopardy because of budget shortfalls.

The Greenville hospital specializes in pediatric orthopedic care and treats thousands of children every year, free of charge.

An anonymous source told FOX Carolina that if the hospital were to close, it would put 250 workers out of a job.

A parent of a former patient of the hospital said that closing the facility would be a mistake.

“People are losing their houses,” said Mary Borum, a parent whose daughter was treated at the hospital. “People are losing their cars. People are losing their jobs. What we need to realize is this: this is not a house, this is not a car, these are kids who can’t receive this kind of care anywhere else.”

The other facilities on the chopping block are in Shreveport, La.; Erie, Penn.; Spokane, Wash.; and Springfield, Mass.

The fate of the five hospitals will be determined when the Shriners’ board meets this summer.