A Precious Child continues to help clients as need grows
A Precious Child — a Broomfield nonprofit that recently capped off a $1 million fundraising campaign — is preparing for several more upcoming events while continuing to serve children and families in need.
In early April the nonprofit closed its doors after there was a report of a potential off-site exposure to coronavirus. Distributions of basic essentials, including emergency kits, was postponed through April 20.
A Precious Child is currently serving clients from 9 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. It is limiting clients to five families each half hour to manage social distancing guidelines. Clients are only able to have one person per family shop on the store floor to minimize the amount of people in our building, Courtney Wickberg, chief communications officer said.
“We have decreased the amount of families we serve each day to ensure we never have more than 10 people shopping in our
Resource Center at one time,” she said. “Upon entering, each client has their temperature checked, asked to use hand sanitizer and have a face mask and gloves on (gloves are provided by A Precious Child). Each shopping cart is disinfected between each use.”
The nonprofit typically sees 9,200 volunteers annually, she said, but have minimized that number “immensely.” Groups are limited in size and volunteer areas are set up to encourage social distancing. Each volunteer has their temperature checked, masks are mandatory and gloves are provided to each volunteer when they enter, Wickberg said.
Of the clients who received emergency COVID19 items through A Precious Child’s on-site distribution, 54% have lost their job and 80% have had a reduction in income due to the crisis, Grants Manager Sydney Cogdon said. Colorado’s unemployment rate is currently 10.2%, up from 2.5% in February.
“As the unemployment rate continues to rise, there will be more families unable to afford the basic essentials they need to thrive,” Cogdon said.
Families can qualify for assistance through different avenues, including qualifying for food stamps, which would also automatically qualify them as a client, Wickberg said.
A Precious Child is accepting COVID-19 response items such as cleaning supplies, hygiene items, diapers and wipes.
“We are also accepting clothing in all sizes, home good items, backpacks and school supplies,” Wickberg said. “With a decrease in volunteers to help sort through our donations, we ask for only high quality items that we can get right into the hands of the families and children in the most need.”
A full list of what A Precious Child is able to accept, and not accept, can be found by visiting apreciouschild.org/take-action/ donate-goods.
Fill A Backpack
This week A Precious Child will kick-off its Fill A Backpack efforts, Marketing Manager Jill Pascuito said.
The organization has received requests from 65 agency partners this year, which range from schools, churches and at-risk youth centers to health and human services organization, across an eight-county service area.
“This year the need to provide these important supplies and backpacks is even greater than in years past,” Misti Wright, programs director, said. “We have received requests for more than 23,000 backpacks from our agency partners.”
This year A Precious Child will be hosting a distribution event at its location in Broomfield. Many of the agency partners will also host distribution events. However, due to the changing dynamics surrounding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, specific details will be determined later in July on distributions, she said.
A Precious Child is working with many drive partners who are hosting virtual drives.
Golf 4 A Precious Child
The nonprofit will also host its 12th Annual Golf 4 A Precious Child Tournament, presented by Jaguar Land Rover Flatirons and Kirsty Martinez of Keller Williams Preferred Realty, on Aug. 17.
“We are thrilled to be able to provide our community with the opportunity to be able to come together and get back outdoors safely,” Martin said. “We are so thankful to our sponsors and donors who allow us to continue serving children who need our help now more than ever.”
The tournament will be at the Omni Interlocken Golf Club, 800 Eldorado Boulevard. Each golfer will be given hand sanitizer and a face mask at bag drop-off. Upon entering, every golfer, volunteer and staff will have their temperature checked, Wickberg said.
“To minimize contact, we will be providing a transaction free check-in process,” Wickberg said. “Check-in will have designated waiting spaces that will encourage social distancing. We will be forgoing our traditional welcome program and seated lunch and provide all golfers with a boxed lunch to go.”
As of Friday, the nonprofit determined it was able to hold 175 guests at the outdoor event.