Montrose County issued a news release over the weekend that the board of county commissioners voted during a special meeting in Nucla on Sept. 17 to provide $75,000 in one-time funding to the West End Family Link Center, which has been closed since Aug. 14 due to financial difficulty.
West End Family Link, based in Nucla, has served the area since 1993 and provides free services to residents in the West End and surrounding communities. Services include food assistance, senior food boxes, the BackPacks for Kids program, utility assistance and help connecting people with other resources.
“West End Family Link had asked Montrose County for assistance with an immediate funding shortfall. After considering the request during the special meeting, commissioners approved the funding to help cover the immediate gap while the organization works to find other funding,” the press release said.
Family Link Executive Director Jody Gardner told the Forum Sept. 19 she was grateful. She said Commissioner Sean Pond advocated “100% for the nonprofit.” She said Pond had visited Family Link in August to donate Olathe sweet corn, when she told him she couldn’t accept the food donation, because the organization would be closing based on lack of funding.
Pond made a personal donation that day of $1,500, and afterward Gardner said Pond came to Family Link’s Aug. 14 board meeting. Family Link representatives then attended the Aug. 17 Montrose County meeting to discuss solutions and possible funding.
“He was 100% advocating for us, his personal donation, all of it,” Gardner said.
She added that Pond has reminded many Montrose County representatives of the past, when the West End carried the county with its uranium and coal resources. Gardner said she’s glad Pond has stood for taking care of the people of the West End now, during this difficult economic time. She added the rest of the board did not seem as supportive of Family Link.
Gardner said Family Link remained closed longer than representatives ever intended. She agreed that lack of funding and increased need have been part of the issue, but in February to March of 2025, a $75,000 shortfall occurred because of a grant that wasn’t submitted. In this way, she said it “all came to a head.” She wants the public to know the “embezzlement rumor” is not true and needs to be quashed.
Gardner has been in her role leading Family Link for one year now, as of Sept. 10. In that time, she said Deana Sheriff reviewed more than 200 grants and applied for 115.
Going forward, hours in Nucla will be Tuesdays from noon to 5 p.m. and Fridays 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. In Paradox, times are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The $75,000 is a game-changer for Family Link. Gardner said Rocky Mountain Health Foundation also just donated a one-time emergency grant of $20,000. Now the nonprofit will open again Sept. 29, but with changes. Only Gardner and Lorraine Skees will remain as paid employees; the rest of the staff have been cut or they left. Gardner said a strong volunteer base will be needed going forward, in order to help with the many tasks that lie ahead.
In November, a partnership with District 51 begins, out of Mesa County, and through it the Gateway pantry will offer the senior food boxes, kids backpack food resources and more, including rescue produce.
