OneTelluride is an initiative of the Telluride Foundation to support the integration of immigrants of all nationalities into the Telluride community. Implementation of the plan includes opening the OneTelluride Cultural Center, English as Second Language classes, translation services, a healthcare navigator, among other programs that will serve both the immigrant and receiving communities.
The Telluride Foundation’s OneTelluride has received a four year grant from the Colorado Trust for the implementation phase. The OneTelluride plan was developed through a ten month process of public meetings, immigrant input, and specific focus groups with over 1,000 hours of community input, from both immigrants and from Telluride, the receiving community.
The Telluride community immigrant integration plan was developed with the guidance of an initiating committee of 15 people, comprised of immigrants, business leaders, key institutions in the community and government leaders. The planning process included two communitywide forums, multiple focus groups and multiple meetings over the ten month period. Through the planning process, six different areas of focus were identified: Education, Housing and Transportation, Culture and Community, Law Enforcement, Healthcare, and Business & Employment.
“What emerged from the planning process was that there were numerous different components facing Telluride’s immigrant population,” said Benito Cardenas, OneTelluride coordinator. “The plan accurately represents the needs that must be addressed in order to help all immigrants, regardless of their country of origin, navigate Telluride’s many opportunities and challenges to live, work and prosper.”
OneTelluride aims to implement sustainable programs that address the issues facing immigrants as well as the receiving community including English as a Second Language and other language classes, adult literacy, employment-related informational seminars, housing information seminars, and developing rapport between the immigrant community and our first responders, among many other programs.
“In addition to addressing the issues of highest priority, such as ESL language classes and translation services, the overarching goal is to create a solid foundation for all of OneTelluride’s programs so that these efforts can be sustained by the community,” said Paul Major, president of the Telluride Foundation.
For Colorado Trust implementation funding to continue over the three years, there must be matching funding and resources from the lead agency as well as local governments and community organizations. Currently the Telluride Foundation has been seeking funding from local governmental funding partners. Also, OneTelluride will be securing a physical space to create a Cultural Center where members of the community can acquire information and actively contribute to programs in support of the immigrant integration plan. Steamboat, Summit County and Gunnison were among the communities in Colorado that a received Colorado Trust SIRFI grants, and all have establish and sustained successful community resource centers for their diverse immigrant populations.
The Telluride Foundation exists to create a stronger Telluride community through the promotion and support of philanthropy. It is a nonprofit, apolitical community foundation that provides year-round support for local organizations involved in arts, education, athletics, charitable causes, land conservation and other community-based efforts through technical assistance, education and grant making. As a grantmaker, the foundation awards grants to qualified applicants that serve the people living and working in the Telluride area for the purpose of enhancing the quality of life within the region. For more information on the Telluride Foundation, visit www.telluridefoundation.org.
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