The New Mexican Who youâve helped this year: An Española woman was struggling financially after her dog became sick. After paying the veterinarian, she fell behind on other bills. The Empty Stocking Fund helped pay her rent and provided her with wood pellets to heat her home during the winter. How it works : Applications for funding are carefully vetted. Members of the Empty Stocking Committee review requests and meet with each qualifying applicant to examine records of outstanding bills or other needs, and to verify the applicantâs income. If a request is approved, the committee sends a check directly to the service supplier. The cap for most requests is $1,000.