SUMMIT COUNTY – With an economically challenging year only half over, public aid providers are still struggling to meet local needs. And the number of people asking for help only seems to grow.

“It’s been a very challenging year. As you know there’s a lot of need particularly in emergency assistance like food, rent, utilities and clothing,” said Family and Intercultural Resources Center executive director Tamara Drangstveit. “Keeping up with that level of need for a sustained period of time is extremely challenging. While we’re lucky that Summit County is an extremely generous community, we certainly need more help in meeting the need.”

Use of FIRC’s food bank is up 400 percent, and it’s seeing a lot of first-time people, said FIRC development director Anita Overmyer. Rental assistance is up too, she added.

According to Drangstveit, they’ve been forced to buy quite a bit of food from the Food Bank of the Rockies to keep up with the community’s ever-increasing needs. So far, $4,412.05 worth of food has been bought this year, compared to $275.95 spent on food in 2008.

Yet, the food bank is pretty empty by the end of the month, Drangstveit said. To combat funds and food shortages, the nonprofit is set to hold two fundraisers this month – the 5K FIRC Walk Against Hunger and the Hearthstone dinner and silent auction. Drangstveit said she hopes they can raise $30,000 between the two events.

“There’s a huge issue with people making it in Summit County right now and the unemployment average here is higher than the state,” Drangstveit said. “All of the agencies across the county providing emergency services are struggling to keep up with the need.”

Jude Mitchell, the administrator at Dillon Community Church agrees – The food bank and other human services are “still cranking and we’ve been very busy,” she said.

Dillon’s food bank served 1,633 people for 2008. And half way through 2009, Mitchell said they’ve already helped 2,000 people.

“We’ll be double at least over last year,” Mitchell said. “It’s not surprising given the economy. We realize that people have meaningful needs.”

Mitchell also said the church is expanding its food bank, and it’s always looking for food and financial contributions. Silvana’s Community Gardens in Silverthorne has stepped up to the plate with plans to provide the church with fresh, locally grown produce.

“It’s awesome to have that,” Mitchell said, noting that her food bank has refrigeration to keep items fresh.

Dillon’s benevolence ministry – a program that helps with emergency needs like rent and medical costs – has also reached its 2008 numbers.

“Funding is down a bit, but we’re trying to make it stretch,” Mitchell said.

In terms of Summit County’s social services department, its staff is seeing an increase in applications for food stamps, its low-energy assistance program and child care.

“We’re also experiencing people leaving because they can’t get a job,” said Joanne Sprouse, assistance payment manager at Summit County Social Services. “Medicaid has held steady- there’s lots of new applications, but a lot of people are leaving. I’m hoping to see the case load steady, but it’s still increasing.”

The Summit County Community Care Clinic, like its social-services counterparts, is also seeing an increase in patients, a decrease in funding, and a higher number of people who are both uninsured and without an income.

‘We’ve got a higher level of people who aren’t able to pay,” said Care Clinic executive director Sarah Vaine, adding that she’s facing another $90,000 in state cuts. “We’ve had $190,000 cut from our budget in the last six to eight months.”

Vaine said she’s “frantically looking for more funding” and said the Care Clinic isn’t eligible for stimulus money because it’s not a federally qualified health center. “We don’t take public insurance, so our clinic money is being cut without any hope” (for other government funding).

To combat funding hardships, Vaine said she’s writing grants and hoping clinic patients will still be able to pay their fees. And, though Vaine said she’s looking at ways to restructure, she’d rather not cut any programs or staff.

“It’s interesting because there’s all this stuff in the news about the economy rebounding, but health care is still a problem,” she said. “We’re the only clinic in the area that can meet the needs of people who can’t afford health care. … We’re holding our breath a little bit.”

Vaine also said there’s a huge problem with people in the community who have insurance, but can’t afford to pay their deductibles.

“Their costs for health care are still not affordable,” she said. “The health care situation is tragic.”

Caitlin Row can be reached at (970) 668-4633 or at crow@summitdaily.com.