Hancock, Kniech Propose 'Left Behind Workers Fund'

DENVER, CO — Mayor Michael Hancock and Councilmember Robin Kniech are preparing a proposed city investment of $750,000 into a relief fund that would aid Denver residents who have lost their jobs but do not qualify for federal and state assistance.

“The people and families who will be helped by this fund work in our city’s restaurants, hotels, venues and the many industries that fueled our thriving economy and made our city the city that it is. They deserve support during this uncertain time as well,” Hancock said in a statement.

“Unlike the federal government, we will not leave some of our friends, families and neighbors behind. We will support all members of our community.”

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Pending city council approval on Monday, the $750,000 from Denver’s General Fund would go to the Left Behind Workers Fund, which is hosted by the nonprofit Impact Charitable.

The city has already received $400,000 from Open Society Foundations and $580,000 from an anonymous donor, so combined, the contributions would offer $1.73 million in emergency relief to Denver families, city officials said.

“As our nation is appropriately focused on the history of racism and its impacts on black lives, this investment will help Denver mitigate the harm experienced by another community that has faced bias and exclusion,” Kniech said in a statement.

More than 17,000 immigrants, some of whom are undocumented, have been left out of relief efforts, city officials said. They work at restaurants, in hospitality, in concessions, and on janitorial teams in buildings that have been closed — and they pay millions in taxes.

The Left Behind Workers Fund will disperse payments of $1,000 per eligible, displaced worker to help them address their most pressing emergency needs such as food, rent, bills, healthcare and transportation.

To be eligible for the aid, a person will have to demonstrate a loss of income related to the COVID-19 pandemic through layoffs, furloughs, a reduction in hours of 20 hours or more per week, or an unpaid leave of absence from work due to school or daycare closures, the need to care for family members, or the need to remain quarantined after possible COVID-19 exposure, city officials said. The household must also be ineligible to receive both unemployment benefits and CARES Act funding.