Financial Support and Layoff Resources

Unemployment Insurance Benefits

For information on unemployment benefits, please visit the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment website. This site has information on how to start a claim, manage an existing claim, as well as resources for unemployed workers. For additional resources for unemployed workers, Pitkin, western Eagle, and Garfield County residents can contact the Colorado Workforce Center in Glenwood Springs at (970) 945-8638. You may also register for services using their website. 

Stimulus Checks/Payments

For additional information on the $600 economic impact payments (stimulus checks) from the federal government, customers may visit the website to the Internal Revenue Service. Users can check the status of their payment or request their payment using this link.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program is a federal program that provides financial assistance and job support to eligible families. In Colorado, the program is known as Colorado Works. Households must have a child in the home under the age of 18, meet certain income and residency requirements, and at least one of the children must have legal immigration status to be eligible for this program. 

Anyone interested in applying for the Colorado Works program can do so online using the Colorado PEAK website or the MyCOBenefits app. For paper applications or for more information, please use the information below to contact your county Human Services department.

• Pitkin County residents may complete a paper application available at the Schultz Health & Human Services building located at 405 Castle Creek Road, Aspen, CO 81611. Paper applications can be dropped off at that location or sent to the address via mail. For additional information, please call: (970) 920-5244.
• Eagle County residents may pick up and drop off paper applications at the Eagle County Health & Human Services office located at 20 Eagle County Drive, El Jebel, CO 81623. For additional information, you can contact the El Jebel office at (970) 704-2760 or the main customer service number at (970) 328-8888.
• Garfield County residents can pick up and drop off paper applications at the Glenwood Springs Office (108 8th St., Suite 300, Glenwood Springs, CO 81601) or at the Rifle Office (195 W. 14th St., Building B, Rifle, CO 81650). For additional information, please call (970) 625-5282 (Rifle) or (970) 945-9191 (Glenwood Springs).

Rent Relief and other Financial Assistance

Emergency Rental and Mortgage Assistance Program (ERAP)

If property owners or tenants have been unable to pay rent due to financial hardship caused by COVID-19, you may be eligible for rental assistance from the state.

The State recently received $247 million for rental and utility assistance from the federal government.

The Colorado Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) can help renters as far back as April, 2020. Help can include past due, current, and two additional months of expected rent costs. After the initial assistance, you can apply for additional assistance, if funds are still available.

Other Emergency Financial Assistance

For households experiencing financial hardship during the pandemic, there are various resources available to provide relief:

• If you live in Pitkin County and have children under the age of 18 in your home, please contact Aspen Family Connections. 
• If you live in the RE-1 School District and have children in the home under the age of 18, please contact the Family Resource Center of the Roaring Fork Schools. 
• Residents of Pitkin, western Eagle, and Garfield counties may also contact Catholic Charities in Glenwood Springs. Phone: (970) 384-2060
• Residents of Pitkin County who are experiencing homelessness should reach out to the Aspen Homeless Shelter for assistance.
• Individuals without legal residency can contact Valley Settlement, Catholic Charities, and/or La Medichi/Manaus. 

Legal Aid

For information regarding landlord tenant disputes or mediation contact Alpine Legal Services – 970-945-8858 Alpinelegalservices.org

Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP):

The Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) is designed to help low-income households with their heating expense. For those eligible for LEAP, the program will pay a portion of the household’s heating expense (determined based on income and household size) directly to the utility company or heat source to offset the cost of the monthly heating expense. This credit can go towards a past due balance or future expenses. The LEAP program typically accepts applications from November though April annually however, the program is still accepting applications until additional emergency funding is expended.  Applications for this program are processed by the Pitkin County Economic Assistance department. You can complete an application online at Colorado PEAK or obtain a paper copy from the outdoor dropbox located in front of the Schultz Health & Human Services Building at 405 Castle Creek Road, Aspen, CO 81611.

Food Assistance

For additional information on these various food resources, please visit the Get Help page.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) formerly known as “Food Stamps”

This is a federal program that is available for low-income individuals and families who are in need of assistance to meet their nutritional needs. The income limits for the program are located here. Those who meet the eligibility requirements for the program will receive a monthly benefit amount deposited to an Electronic Benefits Management (EBT) card. These benefits can be used to purchase food at many of our local grocery and convenience stores and the card functions like a debit card. Anyone interested in applying for SNAP can apply online using the PEAK website. You may also download the MyCOBenefits app to apply. Residents of all counties may apply online.

• Pitkin County residents may complete a paper application available at the Schultz Health & Human Services building located at 405 Castle Creek Road, Aspen, CO 81611. Paper applications can be dropped off at that location or sent to the address via mail. For additional information, please call: (970) 920-5244.
• Eagle County residents may pick up and drop off paper applications at the Eagle County Health & Human Services office located at 20 Eagle County Drive, El Jebel, CO 81623. For additional information, you can contact the El Jebel office at (970) 704-2760 or the main customer service number at (970) 328-8888.
• Garfield County residents can pick up and drop off paper applications at the Glenwood Springs Office (108 8th St., Suite 300, Glenwood Springs, CO 81601) or at the Rifle Office (195 W. 14th St., Building B, Rifle, CO 81650). For additional information, please call (970) 625-5282 (Rifle) or (970) 945-9191 (Glenwood Springs).

LIFT UP Locations

LIFT UP is a local nonprofit that focuses on providing nutritious food to those in need. Aside from assisting with the mobile pantries in our area, LIFT UP also has a number of brick-and-mortar food pantries in the region. Please visit their website to learn more about the locations, hours, and services.

Aspen Pantry: 38700 CO-82, Aspen, CO 81611 – in the Buttermilk Ski Area Parking Lot
Aspen Pantry is Open, No Appointment Necessary
Day(s): Wednesday
Hours: 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm

LIFT-UP also has mobile distributions weekly in Carbondale, Glenwood Springs, New Castle, Rifle, and Parachute.

Mobile Pantries

There are two weekly mobile food pantries in Pitkin County distributing food provided by Food Bank of the Rockies. 

• Aspen Golf Course: Weekly mobile food distribution managed by Aspen Family Connections. Distribution takes place from 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm every Wednesday. The address is 39551 CO-82, Aspen, CO 81611. Please call (970) 205-7025 with any questions.
• Crown Mountain Park: Weekly mobile distribution managed by Aspen Skiing Company. Distribution takes place from 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm every Tuesday. The address is 20 Eagle County Rd., El Jebel, CO 81623.

Lunches for Locals

This is a program designed by the Aspen Art Museum’s So Cafe to provide free, to-go midday meals for those in need throughout the valley. Free meals are offered from 12–1:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays to anyone signing up online via prompts provided on the AAM website (aspenartmuseum.org). The program will be ongoing for an indeterminate time in the foreseeable future. AAM Staff will be on-hand to help safely distribute the lunches, which will be available for pick up at the museum’s Spring Street entrance at the bottom of the AAM Grand Staircase. Visitor guidelines apply, with mouth and nose covering and adequate distancing required during pick up.

Senior Meals

For older adults (60+ years of age) there are various options for prepared lunches that can be picked up or delivered:

• Pitkin County Senior Services: Meals are available Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday between 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm. Please call (970) 920-5432 to request and/or schedule delivery. Program information and the weekly menu can be found here. Pitkin County Senior Services also offers grocery delivery to those in need. Please call the number above for more information.
• Eagle County Healthy Aging: Meals are available Tuesday and Thursday between 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm. Please call (970) 328-7682 to request and/or schedule delivery. Additional information can be found on their website.

Roaring Fork Schools Meal Program

Weekly distribution of meals (on Wednesdays and Fridays) for Roaring Fork School District families at the high schools in Basalt, Carbondale, and Glenwood Springs starting at 4:30 pm. Families should contact their school liaison to arrange delivery if needed. For more information, please call (970) 384-9500 or email: familyservices@frschools.com. 

Homeless

Individuals and families experiencing homelessness in Pitkin County can get a nightly meal from the Aspen Homeless Shelter and can get food items by appointment. Please call (970) 925-1342 or visit http://aspensafetynet.org for more information.

Mental Health Services

The Roaring Fork Valley has many exceptional local nonprofit organizations whose mission is to help residents address issues impacting their mental health. Please visit the Get Help page for more information about these resources. 

Health Insurance Resources

If you have a life changing event like a layoff or job loss you may qualify for subsidized health insurance through Connect for Health Colorado. To determine if you and your family are eligible for a tax credit to help you purchase a healthcare plan through Connect for Health Colorado, you must first complete an application for Medicaid. This can be done online on the Colorado PEAK website. If you qualify for Medicaid, no further action is required. If you are over the income limit for Medicaid, you can go shop at the Marketplace for a plan. If you need help with this process, you can contact Connect For Health Colorado. Both of these options can be completed by going to Connect For Health Colorado‘s website.

For additional information or if you have any questions, you can reach your county’s Department of Human/Social Services using the information below:

• Pitkin County Economic Assistance Department: (970) 920-5244 or pitkin-ea@pitkincounty.com 
• Eagle County Economic Services: (970) 328-8888 or pa.customerservice@eaglecounty.us
• Garfield County Human Services: (970) 625-5282 (Rifle) or (970) 945-9191 (Glenwood Springs)

Healthcare Access

Mountain Family Health Centers

Mountain Family Health Centers (MFHC) is a local Federally Qualified Health Center system that provides healthcare to all members of the Roaring Fork Valley regardless of their financial status, immigration status, and/or level of health insurance coverage. Integrated healthcare is provided at the Basalt clinic and includes general medicine, behavioral health, and dentistry. They have clinic locations in Basalt, Glenwood Springs, and Rifle in addition to the school-based health centers in various area schools. For additional information, please call (970) 945-2840 and/or visit their website.

Additional Information/Resources

Aspen to Parachute COVID-19 Community Resource Page

This page, maintained by the Aspen Community Foundation, provides additional detailed information on various resources providing assistance to individuals and families living between Parachute and Aspen. 

Colorado Mountain College Responds

Back to Work Scholarship: This program is for anyone who would like to earn a credential with CMC and whose employment in the participants’ household was lost or decreased, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  The loss/change in employment may have resulted from the economic impact, home/family responsibilities, or health.  This resource can be found at CMC Responds: Back to Work Scholarship  

The Workforce Center Resources

Click here for the Workforce Center’s contact information as well as links for unemployment, the Workshare Program (employers), and Connecting Colorado resources.

January Free Job Seeker Workshops

Participants must be registered in Connecting Colorado to access the workshops. Registration is free. Click here for the schedule.