Are We Making A Difference???

“In the eight years I have been working with the homeless in Fort Collins, I have unfortunately seen members of the homeless community die of exposure each year and numerous others suffer from frost bite that ultimately lead to loss of fingers, toes, feet, and even legs.  Homeless Gear enables us to make sure that the people we work with everyday have at least the bare essentials to stay alive. While I have no way of knowing exactly how many lives have been saved by Homeless Gear, I have no doubt that their efforts have spared countless people the suffering of frostbite and potentially death.”

Zachary Penland, B.A.
Program Supervisor, The Murphy Center

“The clothes and shoes make such a difference to me because [with them] I feel confident in a judging society. Coming to the gear giveaway today reminded me of the importance of self-confidence. This is always an experience full of lasting joy for me. Thank you for helping me and everyone else. Appreciation, gratefulness and joy. Blessings.”

Guest, January 2013 Supply Distribution

With the help and support of our many volunteers, corporate sponsors, churches, schools, scouts, civic organizations, businesses and community here are some of the ways in which we have made a difference in the lives of homeless men, women, youth, children, and families throughout Colorado.

Since Founding HG on May 1st 2008 we have:

• Distributed over $2.9 million worth of outdoor gear, outdoor basic clothing, non perishable food, and hygiene items
• Distributed over 50,000 “Big 8″ gear items (sleeping bags, sleeping bag pads, tents/tarps, backpacks, day packs, blankets, coats, & shoes/boots).
• Distributed over 17,000 non perishable take-away meals
• Served 650 unduplicated homeless families and 2,931 children through our Children In Need program
• Provided 884 shipments of product to support over 40 homeless facilities and agencies throughout Colorado
• Participated in establishing a Permanent Day Shelter for the homeless of Fort Collins.
• Participated in establishing and furnishing supplies for an Emergency Overflow Night Shelter in Fort Collins.
• Provided work clothes and footwear to help the homeless secure employment.
• Received the Larimer County Award in recognition for outstanding service to improve community left in Northern Colorado by Group Publishing.

In 2011 we:

• Recorded 4,163 transactions of clothing, gear, and hygiene items in our Fort Collins gear room, clothing bank, and monthly adult homeless distributions.
• Launched a Non Perishable Food program which provided take-away breakfast sack meals for every guest of the Fort Collins emergency overflow night shelter.
• Facilitated a Children’s book drive/distribution, Thanksgiving dinner for homeless families, and Christmas family portraits with Santa.
• Distributed over 8,000 pounds of pet food through our partnership with PUP (Prevent Unwanted Pets).
• Were honored for meritorious service to homeless persons in our community by the Fort Collins Interfaith Council.

In 2012 we:

• Launched a night street outreach program in Fort Collins to provide companionship, emergency services and warming supplies, food, and which guides homeless individuals to the many facilities and agencies that are in place to help them re-gain their self sufficiency.  Through that program we have worked with 1,000 unduplicated individuals and made over 4,000 total contacts.
• Distributed over 14,000 non perishable Take Away Meals
• Have distributed over 1,000 pounds of non perishable food at each of our quarterly Children In Need distributions
• Helped secure 55 full and part time jobs for homeless and near homeless individuals.
• Launched the Transition Advocacy Program providing intensive and personal assistance to homeless individuals and families to help them navagate their way through homelessness and back to self sufficiency.
• 1,132 people volunteered with HG contributing an estimated 7,445 hours worth more than $160,000.