ROCK SPRINGS — Sweetwater County’s Volunteer Information and Referral Service (VIRS) Respite Care is closing March 31 due to a lack of funding.

VIRS has served Sweetwater County since 1979, providing in-home personal care and relief for caregivers to elderly and disabled people. The organization has allowed seniors and people with disabilities to remain in their homes while giving their caregivers a break in emotional and physical demands of their work.

“This is a heartbreaking decision,” Melissa Searle, executive director of VIRS said. “For almost 50 years, our volunteers have brought compassion and light to households in need. We are deeply grateful to the community for supporting us through various financial climates over the decades. Unfortunately, we can no longer secure the necessary funding to sustain our operations at the level our clients deserve.”

Searle and the leadership at VIRS continue to emphasize the need for caregiving support and encourage the community to look out for their disabled and elderly neighbors and their caregivers.