An emergency fund meant to act as a safety net for low-income families has been completely depleted, putting it out of commission nearly two years after it was created. 

The Family and Intercultural Resource Center executive director Brianne Snow said the Workforce Rental Assistance Fund is an “emergency” fund that is meant to help bring some stabilization to families who find themselves in financially tight situations.  

She said the demand for the program persists even while it is empty, describing her organization to be “inundated with situations and folks that really are going to have to leave our community, thereby leaving the workforce.” 

The Family and Intercultural Resource Center recently asked the Summit County government and the towns for $10,000 each to replenish the fund. Snow said Dillon is the only jurisdiction to formally commit funds, but others have shown interest. 

Silverthorn Mayor Ann-Marie Sandquist showed support for the financial assistance while explaining it to the rest of Silverthorne Town Council during a Wednesday, Oct. 8. She said rental assistance is really needed right now, especially by the local immigrant population. Interim town manager Mark Leidal also noted there “certainly are families in need right now.” This was not an official agenda item council members could vote on at the Oct. 8 meeting, but other council members indicated they would be willing to vote to grant the funds. 

Snow said local governments and the Summit Foundation helped the Family and Intercultural Resource Center’s Workforce Rental Assistance Fund around 2023. She said when the fund ran dry around 15 months later, she asked jurisdiction to help reinstate it but had no luck, largely because the request came during budgeting season and officials were wary of overpromising funds without a solidified budget. 

She said the fund is meant to be a “stabilizing factor” for people struggling to make ends meet and the one-time donation allows people to reconfigure their budget in order to be able to pay for other necessities, like food. While it might not cover all of rent, it can cover up to around $800. She said it can make the difference in a family needing to move or not, which has more cascading impacts than people may think. 

“We are going to feel it if we don’t support these folks that are already here. … They’re already trained in their jobs. They already have their learning in our schools. … they really are the fabric of our community,” she said. 

She said there’s a variety of reasons people could tap into a fund, but most of them stem from some sort of financial emergency, like an injury putting someone out of work. She said the fund is particularly useful for families who work in seasonal industry with lapse in work during shoulder and mud seasons.  

The Workforce Rental Assistance fund is not taking applications at this time. It does accept donations from anyone or business for the fund.