March 15, 1990, will long be remembered in Brazil as the date of the economic shock. The government put into effect its plan to stop runaway inflation that passed 80 percent a month. One measure was to freeze bank accounts above a certain amount for a period of 18 months. This meant that the only money available to individuals and to firms was the minimum available in these accounts and any cash on hand.

As the weeks passed, so did the crisis. Finally the government allowed nonprofit organizations to withdraw some funds, allowing the Society gradually to resume normal functioning.