SUMMIT COUNTY — Resumé writing tips, interviewing skills and classroom training is being offered to low-income Summit County residents through the Family and Intercultural Resource Center as a way to increase financial stability through education. The new Summit Self-Sufficiency Project is using federal stimulus dollars given to Summit County Government to develop new or additional job skills for Summit residents who live below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Twenty-five spots in the program are open.

“Our hope is that this program will help end the cycle of underemployment in Summit County,” said FIRC executive director Tamara Drangstveit.

Classes will be held at the Colorado Mountain College, and FIRC is managing the program. It will choose applicants and award scholarships.

According to Summit County Social Services director Sue Gruber, $46,000 in stimulus funding was obtained by the county for employement-related programming.

“It was a fit for FIRC, as it needed to be around employment, housing, nutrition, and how to get people back to work,” Gruber said. “The county received the grant and FIRC is implementing the program.”

The money must be spent by Sept. 30, 2010, and Gruber said she's not sure if funds will be available next year.

“We'll see where the economy is at this point,” she said.

Focus on self-sustainability

The Family and Intercultural Resource Center has hired project case manager, Joe Sanchez, and its program includes a vision to work with people on the Section 8 (rental assistance) waiting list through the Summit County Housing Authority.

“We wanted to give people a more well-rounded approach to get back on (their) feet, and become more self-sustainable,” said FIRC's Anita Overmyer. She also noted that training will focus on helping people find jobs that are “more” recession proof.

Overmyer said the Summit Self-Sufficiency Project is a collaboration between FIRC, the Colorado Workforce Center, Colorado Mountain College , Summit County Government and the Summit County Housing Authority.

“It's definitely trying to help people not just right now, but in the future,” Overmyer said. “Hopefully when they're wrapping up their classes or training, the economy will have rebounded.”

Prospective Summit Self-Sufficiency Program applicants should contact FIRC at (970) 262-3888, ext. 301. Visit www.summitfirc.org for more information.

Caitlin Row can be reached

at (970) 668-4633 or at

crow@summitdaily.com.