Times are tough for many, but for local volunteer fire companies and nonprofit organizations, this pandemic may make or break them.

On Thursday, Carbon County Commissioner Rocky Ahner urged residents to make sure they support local fire departments, food banks, animal shelters and other nonprofits who depend on fundraisers as their main source of income to run the operation.

He said that he has always purchased pizzas from his local fire company when they did the fundraiser and plans to send them the money for the pizzas even though the fundraiser cannot be held at this time.

“To all the citizens of Carbon County, these people have to keep operating,” Ahner said. “If they had fundraisers, send them the money. Even if you don’t think it’s worth $20, send them $10 because they have hundreds of thousands of dollars that they have invested that come out to save your lives and they still need the money.”

All fire departments in the Times News area operate through volunteers, and a shortage of volunteers over the years has already put a strain on the men and women who sacrifice their time and safety by not only having to train and respond to emergencies, but to then turn around and fundraiser just to keep the doors open.

Food banks also depend on the generosity of the community to keep shelves stocked for local distributions and animal shelters need supplies to help the cats and dogs under their care until they can be adopted.

Ahner urged all residents that if you can afford it at this time, to send donations to these organizations to help them get through this, because you may need them someday.