Resources are available to serve the homeless, but still not enough
Part 4 of series: Agencies offer wide range of services
Whether they’re local residents who hit a tough patch or transients moving through in search of greener pastures, the homeless do have some resources for assistance in northeast Colorado, including in the Sterling area and in Fort Morgan.
This is not a complete list, by any means, because many churches in rural areas run their own programs to help those in need.
Sterling Area Resources
Family Resource Center of Sterling was founded to help families in crisis learn to cope with life in a stressful world. Although primarily a provider of family and youth assistance services, FRC gets frequent requests for help finding shelter.
The agency can help with referrals for homeless families for food, shelter and some financial assistance.
FRC also has a pantry inside the office, and the Blessing Box outside the building, and the can refer the indigent or working poor to Centennial Mental Health, Cooperating Ministry of Logan County and Under the Umbrella.
Help for Abused Partners, as the name implies, provides assistance to victims of domestic abuse. It does have a safe house for those who have to leave their homes for their own safety, but staff members do have connections with other resources in the community.
Hope House runs two Sterling facilities for those trying to break out of addiction and the recidivism cycle. While conquering addiction often can be achieved in a supportive, caring home environment, that’s not something readily available for most addicts, especially those just released from prison. Hope House provides shelter and a supportive environment for men, women and families trying to overcome the burden of addiction.
Centennial Mental
Health Center has several housing assistance programs, through Housing and Urban Development and the Colorado Division of Housing. Each program has specific guidelines and criteria. Fourth Street House, for instance, provides a home for clients in Centennial’s Journey program, which offers comprehensive mental health and psychiatric services. Clients are empowered by actively participating in the development of their treatment plans.
Centennial also is a major contact point for the Housing Choice Voucher Program, the federal government’s major program for assisting very low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled to afford decent, safe, and sanitary
housing in the private market. Centennial also has access to the Colorado
State Housing Voucher Programs, Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH), homeless case management services, Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) for rent assistance and seasonal emergency shelter assistance.
Cooperating Ministry of Logan County assists between three and five families and individuals a week with food and referrals for shelter. Although primarily tasked with helping Logan County residents, CMLC does help and refer a number of transient homeless as well.
Under the Umbrella is a program run by Prince of Peace Episcopal Church in Sterling. It includes a food pantry, backpacks with food and hygiene supplies for the homeless. Sheets, blankets, coats, socks, gloves, hats are available to anyone in need and a few clothing and shoe items. The organization offers free shower vouchers at the Sterling Recreation Center and an emergency housing program that has provided medical needs, housing help and winter time hotel stays etc. Free take-out meals are offered on Tuesdays and Thursday and include main dish, side dish, dessert and sometimes bread.
The list of assistance school districts can provide under the Homeless Assistance Act of 1987 is long; it provides for immediate enrollment with full and equal opportunity to succeed in school, a choice of schools to attend, transportation to the student’s “school of origin,” access to free school meals and educational services for which they are eligible, referrals to health care, dental, mental health and substance abuse, housing, and other appropriate services, among others. School officials also can help students fill out college finance paperwork to qualify for college tuition.
The one thing that’s missing in Sterling: Actual shelter for the unsheltered.
Morgan County Area Resources
In Morgan County, Rising Up, located in the Annex Building for the United Methodist Church at 527 State St., in Fort Morgan, offers quite a few services and resources for those experiencing homelessness, hunger and poverty.
Temporary overnight shelter is offered in Rising Up’s Warming Center during the coldest months of the year, but it is not a full shelter and usually cannot accommodate families.
The Day Center at Rising Up provides meals and services to try to help homeless people “secure housing and move their lives forward in a positive direction,” according to Rising Up’s website, https:// www.risingupmorgancounty.com/.
Rising Up also offers a Client Choice Pantry, where people can get food and pick out what they want from what’s available.
“Rising Up is developing temporary and permanent solutions and programs that will help individuals and families rise up from homelessness and poverty and keep hunger at bay,” the nonprofit’s website states.
Rising Up can be contacted at 970-370-8880 or risingupmorgancounty@gmail.com.
The Morgan County Family Center, located at 414 Main St., Suite 100, in Fort Morgan and at 120 Clayton St. in Brush, also offers resources and services, if not shelter, itself.
Resources offered include: rent/utility assistance, child care resources, veteran’s assistance and more.
Centennial Mental
Health Center also has a Fort Morgan office, located at 821 E. Railroad Ave. It can be contacted at 970867-4924.
Various churches, ministry programs and other groups also offer assistance for the homeless in Morgan County.
But the amount of actual shelter space is very limited for those with no shelter of their own, particularly for families.
Next: What’s needed to address homelessness