Nonprofit temporarily closes its doors, impacting more than 20,000

PROVO — Starting Sunday, Nov. 1, families will no longer be able to receive help from Community Action Services and Food Bank.

The nonprofit organization said its doors will remain closed until further notice while its board of trustees determines the best course of action.

The organization's CEO, Caitlin Rangel, said Friday, "Our greatest sadness is knowing that the need for these services has not gone away."

Rangel thanked all volunteers and donors who have helped the organization over the six decades it has remained operational.

In a statement posted on social media Saturday, Utah County Commissioner Skyler Beltran called the closure a travesty.

He said the county is actively coordinating efforts to prevent the closure from affecting the 20,000 people who rely on its critical services.

Beltran also blamed the closure on the organization's financial management, not government support.

"I want to be very clear: The closure of Community Action is in no way a consequence of a lack of support from the State Office of Homeless Services, the Utah State Legislature, or local government," Beltran said. "Years of financial and operational mismanagement, coupled with a recent escalation of financial instability, should not be mistaken for a failure of the government partners who have consistently supported these programs and services."

Utah County has taken over management of the county's warming center, which is scheduled to open Sunday, Nov. 1 as originally planned.

According to its website, Community Action Services and Food Bank began in 1967 and has helped families "rebuild financial and social self-sufficiency" in Utah, Wasatch and Summit counties.

Last year alone, the organization assisted more than 24,000 people through food assistance, housing assistance, shelter and education programs.

"Just last month, we had 135 new families come to us that have never needed assistance before. And we've actually seen that number go up each month since June," said Jessica Miller, the organization's chief impact officer.

Leaders told KSL in October they had only recently learned the full extent of the organization's financial shortfall and had brought in new leadership and additional financial oversight while working to stabilize operations.

Before announcing the closure, Community Action Services and Food Bank shifted its message toward raising $1.5 million to remain operational into next year after raising $100,000 to stay open through October.