New Breckenridge nonprofit hub "Sol Center" in Colorado combines food, clothing and mental health services under one roof

A new community building in Breckenridge is trying to make life a little easier for locals struggling to survive in one of Colorado's most expensive mountain communities.

The SOL Center now brings together food assistance, affordable clothing, mental health care and social service navigation all in one place, creating what nonprofits say is a first-of-its-kind collaboration in Summit County, and possibly Colorado as a whole.

For the Family & Intercultural Resource Center, or FIRC, its mission is simple: make it easier for people to get help before they fall through the cracks.

"This building is the dream," said FIRC Deputy Director Carla Decker. "It gets all of the services combined into one location, so we're not bouncing people all over the county for what they need."

The center comes as many mountain workers continue struggling after a difficult low-snow winter season that cut into hours and seasonal employment across Summit County.

"Those people really struggle to make ends meet and stay here," Decker said. "Especially in these times when the season is a low snow season and (some) resorts started cutting hours in March and closed two to three months early."

Inside the building, residents can access food assistance, housing help, public benefits, enrollment assistance, peer support services, and eventually, even a thrift store offering deeply discounted clothing.

"I think we just need word to catch on that we are here," Decker said. "Residents can access anything that they need ... and if we don't have the resource, we'll connect you to the person that does."

The building also houses offices for Building Hope Summit County, a nonprofit focused on mental health support in the mountain community.

"We all struggle, we're all human," said Building Hope Executive Director Kellyn Ender. "But here in the mountains, it's particularly challenging at times."

Ender said financial stress, isolation and the pressure of mountain life often overlap with mental health struggles. That overlap is exactly why both nonprofits wanted to work side by side and be able to support each other under one roof.

"If you're not doing well with your food and you don't have food for your family, your mental health is probably not going well either," Ender said.

The organizations said the building removes barriers that often stop people from seeking help in the first place.

"That just absolves all of the driving, all the headache of making appointments, of making phone calls," Ender said. "This kind of building where it's a one-stop-shop for people is really incredible."

The nonprofits said the building itself was largely made possible through community donations and volunteer support, with contributions ranging from architecture work to construction and cabinetry.

"This building was built by the community entirely," Ender said.

While parts of the center are still ramping up operations, the food market is already open, therapy appointments are underway upstairs, and the thrift store is expected to open in the coming weeks.

There are still open slots for more volunteers and community support as demand continues to grow in Summit County.