In the public comment portion of Nucla’s Town Board of Trustees meeting on July 22, Jody Gardner went before trustees with a request on behalf of West End Family Link in Nucla. Gardner is the executive director of Family Link, a nonprofit organization, which was established in 1993.
Gardner told the board one of the biggest roles Family Link carries out is the food bank operations, and the local region is considered the largest food desert in the state of Colorado. She said one in seven people experience food insecurity in Montrose County, but she also said one in four children are in the same situation.
According to Gardner, Family Link is serving 45% of the people in its service area. Last year, Family Link served 1,685 individuals and performed approximately 15,000 different services. Gardner said the organization is really to trying to keep up with area needs, which are far greater than the Family Link staff have ever before seen. At the same time, she explained that federal resources are declining, and grant funding is decreasing too.
Gardner said Family Link operates on a budget of $23,000 a month. While volunteers help tremendously, there are still labor costs, as volunteers cannot fill certain needs.
Gardner asked the Town of Nucla for critical funding support.
The mayor asked the board to circle back to the Family Link issue later on in the evening’s agenda, and trustees agreed to do so.
During the later board discussion, trustees brought up the funding the Town of Nucla typically receives from Montrose County, funding that gets dispersed to West End nonprofits. They questioned whether the upcoming county donation would be $50,000, an amount they’ve received before. Trustees questioned the way that county money is allocated to various nonprofits in the West End, and how much of it might be related to capital matches.
“Can you give us an idea of what your ask might be?” Mayor Paula Brown asked Gardner.
Gardner said she’s working with a $60,000 shortfall at West End Family Link. She said the administration and board in place before she came on as director lost a $76,000 annual grant that was specifically for family resources. Since that time, Gardner said she’s been working to cut expenditures where she can.
At this point she’s trying to make up a $45,000 difference, and she told the Nucla Town Board that any donation would be beneficial at this point.
Trustees did not discuss a specific dollar amount related to the donation, but the mayor did ask Town Manager Jessica Davis to look into the town’s budget to see what’s possible.
“We’re going to need to do some research,” the mayor told Gardner.
Trustee Aimee Tooker told Gardner she was interested in the data that Gardner brought before the board. Tooker asked to have a copy of the information shared in the public comment. Gardner agreed to do so.
Gardner reminded town trustees that the local food bank is open four times weekly in Nucla, and once weekly in Paradox.
In addition to the food bank, Family Link also offers parenting and nutrition classes, referrals, heating assistance and other forms of support to those who need help.
With questions or to make donations, community members may call 970-864-2245 or email jody.gardner@westendflc.org.
