“Dare to reach out your hand into the darkness, to pull another hand into the light.” ~Norman B. Rice

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REGISTER NOW TO ATTEND

Want a sneek peek at some of the cool items that will be auctioned off at Cheers to Careers & Gear?

New Belgium Cruiser

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Distributions:

We invite anyone who is interested to come and help us distribute gear and other critical items at one of our two distribution events.

• Homeless Families and Children Distribution: This event runs from 9 AM to 11:30 AM at the Murphy Center of Hope located at 242 Conifer Street in Fort Collins on the following Saturdays: 

1. June 8, 2013
2. September 7, 2013

Since we serve as many as 400+ homeless and near homeless children and their families at this event we need volunteers to sign up for “shifts” (8:00 AM to 10:00 AM and  10:00 AM to 12:00 This will enable us to plan appropriately and also make the volunteer experience as meaningful as possible for you.  Of course you can work multiple shifts if you would like.

Please know that you can still just drop in if you didn’t get a chance to sign up.  We will never turn away volunteers.  Please contact  Eileen Corbiere at Eileen@HomelessGear.org or by call and talk with Eileen at 970-587-3556.

• Homeless Adult Distribution–Fort Collins: Third Thursday of every month from 12:00 PM to 2:30 PM at the Murphy Center For Hope located at 242 Conifer Street (corner of Conifer and Blue Spruce).  Please contact  Eileen Corbiere at Eileen@HomelessGear.org or by calling 970-587-3556. 

Sam’s Club Food Collection Event:

One Saturday per month (11 AM to 4 PM), we collect donations, fire up a BBQ and interact with customers outside of the Sam’s Club in South Fort Collins. This is a fun and effective way for us to collect much-needed food-and-drink items, engage with the community and recruit new volunteers.

There are three ways that you can help us at one of these events:

1. Collect donations of non-perishable food and drinks and interact with customers. We need at least four volunteers for each of two shifts: 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM (help us set up) or 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM (help us close down).
2. Operate the BBQ! Help barbeque hot dogs and hamburgers in coordination with the drive. We need at least one volunteer for each of two shifts: 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM or 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM.
3. Transport donated products from the Sam’s Club to HG food storage (about 5 miles away) at 4:30 PM.

If you are interested in helping out, please contact Eileen by phone at (970) 587-3556 or by email at Eileen@HomelessGear.org.

Collection Event Dates Are Scheduled For:

1. June 1, 2013
2. June 29, 2013
3. July 6, 2013
4. August 3, 2013
5. September 7, 2013
6. October 5, 2013
7. November 2, 2013
8. November 16, 2013
9. December 7, 2013
10. December 21, 2013

Meal Assembly:  The day following our Sam’s Club collection events, we assemble take-away meals for distribution throughout the month.

1. June 2, 2013
2. June 30, 2013
3. July 7, 2013
4. August 4, 2013
5. September 8, 2013
6. October 6, 2013
7. November 3, 2013
8. November 17, 2013
9. December 8, 2013
10. December 22, 2013

For more information or to sign up for a meal assembly event please contact David Rout, Homeless Gear   David@HomelessGear.org 970-682-3193.

Special Projects:

Non Perishable Food & Take-Away Meal Program

From November 1^st 2011 to March 31 2012 Homeless Gear collected, assembled, and distributed 5,000 breakfast sack meals for guests of the Fort Collins Emergency Overflow Shelter.  The overflow shelter serves the homeless that cannot get into our two permanent shelters due to lack of bed space.  Because of the overwhelming outpouring of support from the community for this project and the corresponding need for supplemental readily consumable food items and liquids by the homeless, our Non Perishable Food Program was born!

We are now collecting Non Perishable and Readily Consumable food/drink items year round for the homeless so that they can stay hydrated  & supplement their calorie needs with the 1-2 hot meals that are typically available to some (but not all) each day.  We will distribute these items at The Murphy Center, during our monthly distributions events, through some of the 40+ homeless facilities we support throughout Colorado and during our Night Street Outreach Program.

You or your group, class, troop, church or business can help in one of 5 ways:

1. Collect and provide component food or drink items (see list below).
2. Provide cash or gift cards for us to purchase component food/ drink items.
3. Provide completed ready to eat “take away meals” (see below for details).
4. Provide labor to assemble Take-Away Meals.
5. Deliver Take-Away Meals to facilities in Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley Longmont, Boulder, or Denver.

Food & Drink Items:

Components should be:

1. Able to be easily opened without mechanical devise
2. Able to be eaten straight away or by adding hot water
3. Non perishable or shelf life longer than six months
4. Commercially produced and packaged
5. In individual sized containers

Components: Use your imagination but here are some suggestions:

• Juice Boxes, Capri Suns, Bottled Water
• Granola Bars
• Raisins
• Cookies
• Breakfast Bars
• Pop Tarts
• Fruit Rollups or Fruit Snacks
• Peanut Butter or Cheese Crakers
• Jerky
• Trail Mix
• Nuts
• Fruit or Pudding Cups
• Instant Soups
• Instant Mac & Cheese

Take-Away Meals:

You can either provide “breakfast” or “lunch” oriented Take-Away Meals.

Basic Items (Breakfast or Lunch Meal)

• Plastic Sack
• Napkin
• Disposable Spoon
• Juice Box, Water, or Capri Sun
• 3 ready to eat items (see component list)

Plus:  Breakfast Take-Away Meal:

• Hot Chocolate Packet (just add water)
• Instant Oatmeal Packet (just add water)
• Disposable Bowl

Plus:  Lunch Take-Away Meal:

• Cup-A-Noodles or Tuna/Crackers (ready to each containers)

If you would like to participate in any way (individual or group), would like to set up delivery or have questions please contact:

David Rout, Homeless Gear   David@HomelessGear.org 970-682-3193