NEWS

Homeless Gear seeks homeless solutions in Fort Collins

Sarah Jane Kyle
sarahkyle@coloradoan.com

A white van roams the streets of Fort Collins four days a week to provide relief and a friendly face to the homeless.

The van stopped at Old Town Library Tuesday. Before Homeless Gear staffer Linda Nuss could open the door, a handful of homeless individuals stood waiting for the food, jackets and warm socks that would make another rainy night in Fort Collins more bearable.

One man told Nuss, "People hate the homeless."

"We don't," she replied.

"No, you guys are the good ones. But a lot of people do," he said.

Shelters:Fort Collins homeless shelter filling up nightly

Resources:Who's helping Fort Collins' homeless?

It's a familiar sentiment, said Homeless Gear Executive Director David Rout. He has seen community involvement and discussion around homelessness reach an all-time high in the past year — and it hasn't always been pretty.

He knows that many in Fort Collins have negative views of homelessness and the people that face it. He hears negative sentiments in community presentations, sees them in comment threads and hears it from the homeless individuals Homeless Gear services. But Rout hopes to channel that interest into creating further solutions to homelessness in Fort Collins.

"Even though I might not agree with sentiment of what someone says, I bet we can both agree that we don't want people to be homeless in Fort Collins," he said. "I bet we can find common ground in terms of what we can do to address the issue... At least that's my hope."

The nonprofit is actively involved in community discussions about how to address transient issues, which caused ripples in Old Town Fort Collins last summer, and find solutions for homelessness. It hopes to help launch a response team next summer to ease tensions between the homeless and business owners and residents in Old Town.

Solutions:Fort Collins draws on homeless solutions in other places


But beyond community involvement, Homeless Gear also tackles the problem through a family of six programs, which range from street outreach to helping homeless individuals gain self-sufficiency.

Street outreach and gear distribution focuses on survival gear and meeting basic needs, facing the reality that some of Fort Collins' homeless population won't spend the night in a shelter bed. Last year, Homeless Gear distributed $1.1 million in supplies to homeless individuals in Fort Collins and to other organizations helping the homeless statewide.

Other programs are more solution-based, helping homeless individuals and those at risk of homelessness find and maintain employment, housing and self-sufficiency. A recently acquired program, the dedicated navigators, helps individuals apply for benefits. Last year, the program helped complete 501 applications for more than $1 million in benefits, Rout said.

The program will merge with Homeless Gear this month to expand its reach.

The One Village One Family program, which launched in October, pairs a "village" of community members with a homeless family seeking housing. The village raises funds to assist with housing costs and provides continued support after a family is placed in housing. Two families have found housing through the program, Rout said.

All of the programs demonstrate the power of community, Rout said.

"I wish this problem could be solved overnight," Rout said. "But (homelessness) is not a situation that we can't overcome. It's not a problem that can't be solved. There are things that every single person can do to get involved."

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How to help

Learn more about volunteering with one of Homeless Gear's six programs at www.homelessgear.org. Homeless Gear's programs include:

Street Outreach: Hits the streets of Fort Collins with a van of supplies to meet basic needs and provide survival gear to the homeless.

Distribution: Gets needed gear, food and supplies into the hands of homeless individuals statewide through partnerships with multiple agencies, including those in Fort Collins.

Children in Need: Distributes supplies to homeless families through quarterly service events.

Hand Up: Helps homeless and near homeless individuals seeking employment.

One Village One Family: An initiative that pairs groups of community members, or villages, with a homeless family seeking housing.

Dedicated Navigators Program: A volunteer-based program that helps individuals apply for benefits.