Latest news with #VillageExchangeCenter
CBS News
04-04-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Denver area nonprofit that feeds thousands loses millions federal funding, group says
When immigrants and asylum seekers came to Colorado from the southern border, the Village Exchange Center on the border of Denver and Aurora stepped up to help. Through funding from the federal government , they fed them, along with other Aurorans, through their food bank and offered them free vaccinations, job fairs , and integration programs. "We're providing wraparound services to get people legal assistance, into jobs, training, getting them health care, Medicaid, WIC, SNAP, any of the benefits that they should be using to become self-sustaining," said co-founder and CEO Amanda Blaurock. Now, all of that is in jeopardy. Just a few days ago, the federal grant money the center used to help run its program was terminated. "Based on us potentially providing funding to 'illegal aliens,' were the words," said Blaurock. Village Exchange lost more than $2 million and may lose $3 million more, which has hurt them. "We have had to let go of a number of contractors and then move FTEs into different roles that they weren't previously in," said Blaurock. And their weekly food pantry, which feeds 1,100 families a week, is at risk. "After June, we will be looking at either cutting our pantries significantly and our team and not being able to provide food services to the community or getting different partners that can provide in-kind support," said Blaurock. She says cutting funding doesn't get rid of need and worries that if they can't provide services to at-risk communities in Denver, Adams, and Arapahoe counties, it could have a devastating effect on all residents as people look for new ways to survive. "It really jeopardizes the integrity and health and safety of all people living here," said Blaurock. Village Exchange Center says they will be reaching out to donors and the public to try to fill the funding gap they now face.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Migrant support center reeling from funding cuts, recent fire threatens operations
AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) — A nonprofit that focuses on helping refugees and migrants in an Aurora community may have to cut some of its operations because of significant funding cuts. To add to that challenge police are also investigating a dumpster fire that was set just feet away from their building. At least 9 international student visas revoked at Colorado universities Marcel Narucki, cofounder of the Village Exchange Center, said for the last eight years the group has helped thousands of underserved families in the community. 'What you see here is going to feed 900 families tomorrow,' he said. 'We serve essentially the neighborhood,' said Narucki. 'The neighborhood is largely comprised of refugees and immigrants. Right now we're serving for example our food pantry, we're feeding over 4,000 people a week.' The nonprofit also offers wrap-around services and a community farm that grows culturally appropriate food for the different communities they serve. 'We have cultural navigators if someone is coming for food and they have the needs we're providing resources and places for them to go to serve their needs,' said Narucki. That work has helped people like Darwin Gonzalez who has been picking up food for his family at the center for the last eight months. Thousands of pounds of wildflower seeds air-dropped over Quarry Fire burn scar 'I don't have the words to explain how grateful I am I have been in circumstances. I rely on this place a lot,' said Gonzalez. Lately, that mission has been made harder. 'Funding in these last few weeks has been literally cut off,' Narucki said. 'So starting with the big FEMA federal grants that stopped a couple of weeks ago. Essentially we lost over 2 million dollars for our food pantry. Most recently we lost about $650,000 for health access programs. Just today I came from a meeting with some of our staff. We're having to let two people go, cut hours for several people. Both are single mothers, they are basically the face of a lot of people we serve. When I say fear, multiply that fate by hundreds and thousands.' In addition to those challenges, a surveillance camera from outside the center captured video from Thursday night around 8:30 p.m. It shows a woman walking around the dumpster. She makes a motion with her hands, and moments later you see large flames coming from the dumpster. 'We can't say the intent, we don't know, but what we see in the footage is a fire intentionally started,' said Narucki. 'We're already struggling with severe limitations and our ability to be able to serve people. When it happens at this moment it just makes us feel so much more vulnerable.' Parker mother prayed over child thrown from car hit by drunk driver Fire crews arrived quickly and were able to put out the fire before it damaged the building. Narucki says he still has fears not knowing a motive or where the future of the nonprofit stands. 'We'll have to see,' he said. 'We're really in a vulnerable place right now and looking at not being able to help and respond to the people in need.' An Aurora fire spokesperson told FOX31 they are investigating the fire, but there are no further details to share. Meanwhile, if you want to help the Village Exchange Center you can visit their website and click the donate tab. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
