2014 Summer Issue

OUR News
Outreach United Resource
C e n t e r, I n c .
Steps to Self-Sufficiency
Agusn Silva is a hardworking family
man who, a few years ago, faced a
crossroads. The commercial maintenance company he worked for was
relocang to Michigan. He could have
moved his family with them, but
chose not to, thinking that it would
not be in their best interest. Agusn
Center from me to me. With nodid all he could to find a new job– but
where else to turn, Agusn made an
nothing was materializing.
appointment at the OUR Center and
The then family of four moved in with learned about the help that was
Agusn’s mother in Longmont. It was available.
ght, but they made it work for a
Case manager Margie Aguirrewhile. Agusn connued to look for
Moreno immediately got the family
work throughout Boulder County, but
into temporary emergency shelter at
landing a job was taking much longer
a motel. She then lined them up with
than he had hoped. A*er a few
one of the units the OUR Center
months, Agusn could no longer keep
leases at First Lutheran Church,
his family in his mother’s home. He
which is in turn subleased to families
looked to see if they could stay with
in need. The family was able to stay
another family member, but that was
the church’s unit for a brief period as
not possible either.
Agusn connued to look for work.
During that me, the family received
It was then that he realized that his
services at the OUR Center, such as
family had no place to stay – they
groceries and clothing.
were homeless.
Agusn’s mother directed them to
the OUR Center. She is disabled and
had received services from the OUR
A*er a few weeks, case manager
Margie secured a place for Agusn
and his family at The Inn Between in
OUR Capital Campaign
Have you heard? OUR Center is
creating the way for a new program services and administrative center at 220 Collyer Street
in Longmont. What does this
mean? Efficiency. Centralized
resources. The ability to serve
more people, with more services, in a timely manner. Efficiency and effectiveness in addressing increasing needs That's the OUR Center's vision. A
larger, consolidated facility will
help us to address the community
needs for the next 25 years. Our
vision is driven by our compassion
to serve the increased number of
people in the Longmont area
struggling to stay in their homes,
keep the heat and lights on, and
put healthy food on their tables as
they work toward self-sufficiency.
This campaign presents a unique
opportunity for supporters to
strengthen our community and
Longmont. An OUR Center partner,
The Inn Between provides melimited housing, life skills classes, and
case management to people as they
work toward self-sufficiency. Living at
The Inn Between has given the family
the stability they’ve needed since
returning to Colorado. They have had
access to services and classes at both
the Inn Between and the OUR Center.
Agusn has since landed a job as an
irrigaon technician at a landscaping
company, and he is doing well there.
The family has recently welcomed a
new baby as well.
Summer 2014
Inside this issue:
President’s Leer
2
Execuve Director’s
Leer
2
Volunteer Needs
3
Fall Benefit
3
Wish List
3
Matching Program
3
Aspen Center Tidbits
4
With a strong desire to become fully
self-sufficient, the family is also looking for an apartment of their own. It
is challenging to find an affordable
three bedroom unit in this area, with
the high cost of rent and low availability of units, but Agusn is hopeful
that they will find something soon.
“I am so grateful to the OUR Center
for everything they have done for my
family,” Agusn said. “It was a rough
me for us . If it wasn’t for the OUR
Center, I don’t know what we would
have done. These are special people
that treat you with care and respect. I
wish I could pay them back somehow, but I hope God will keep blessing them for all the good they do.”
invest in OUR story — our
shared story. The story of a
healthy and strong Longmont.
We need your help! Please come
for a tour of our facilities to see
our plans first-hand and to help
us spread the word about the
importance of this project for our
community. Contact Elaine Klotz
at elaine@ourcenter.org or
303.772.5529 ext. 224. Thank
you for your support!
Join us for an upcoming
Outreach Breakfast to
learn all about the OUR
Center and the many
ways you can get involved. Plan to come
and bring a friend!
Dates are:
Weds., October 1
Weds., December 3
From 7:45 to 9:30 a.m.
at the OUR Center
Contact
Chrisne@ourcenter.org
for details.
Page 2
OUR News
P r e s i d e n t ’s M e s s a g e
Bruce Robbins,
Past President
Board of Directors:
Chuck Philipp, President
Ryan Mason, Vice President
Rick Burdick, Treasurer
Raven Astrom, Secretary
Bruce Robbins, Past President
Greengs: As our organizaon Along with these historic situ- We are currently debt free
looks forward to starng a
aons, the OUR Center began and are raising funds for the
new fiscal year, and my term and connues to work
construcon stage at the new
as President comes to an end, through a capital campaign
facility.
I would like to thank each and and construcon project for
As I ponder through all the
every employee and
challenges the organizavolunteer for helping
on has faced and faces
As I ponder through all of the challenges
the OUR Center to
the organizaon has faced and faces sll, it sll, it occurs to me that
meet all of the chalwe always connue to
occurs to me that we always connue to
lenges we have faced
move forward, and I am
move forward. I am thankful that each
together.
thankful that each chalchallenge has ulmately made our
In the last few years,
lenge has ulmately
community stronger.
our organizaon has
made our community
been blessed with the
stronger. The OUR Cenunselfish, collecve talent and our new 220 Collyer locaon ter is truly “our” community
and work with other agencies organizaon, and it has been
work of many who have
helped our neighbors endure to create a human services
my pleasure to serve. Thank
a crippling recession, a record campus when we move out
you for everything you have
of the buildings we now ocdemand for services, and a
done to help us thrive.
cupy.
1,000 year flood.
~ Bruce Robbins
Chrisne Cavalier
A Note from OUR Executive Director
Jim Dykes
Jessica Greenlee
Angela Groeninger
Duane Hahn
Anahid Katchian
Carol Matheis-Kra*
Bill Prout
Lori Shrader
Kent Ware
Edwina Salazar,
Execuve Director
It may seem so long ago.
Looking around, it is hard to
tell that anything happened at
all. But, as the flood waters of
September 12, 2013 subsided
and the evacuaons were
complete, our work was only
beginning.
basic needs, the OUR Center
conducted two major distribuons of water, food, bedding,
boots, coats, and other clothing to 766 households.
more than 100 households
affected by the flood through
loss of their homes and jobs.
For the next year, 20 new cases are expected to need the
In disasters, the next phase
a*er relief is recovery – o*en OUR Center’s assistance each
the longest phase to disaster month, requiring addional
It was then that the City of
response.
resources for a focused, susLongmont and Boulder Coun- Since November, the OUR
tainable recovery for the longty mobilized for flood relief.
Center has been working with term well-being of these famiInial organized flood relief
lies. The OUR Center will conefforts began September 16 at our partners in coordinang
the Disaster Assistance Center and providing direct financial nue to help in the recovery
(DAC).
assistance to flood survivors. efforts as long as donated
For the next three weeks, the Donated monies allowed the resources allow.
OUR Center staff was onsite at OUR Center to hire two dedi- I want to thank the hundreds
the DAC, working in partnercated case managers to help of volunteers and donors who
ship with government and
the flood survivors face a mul- have helped through their
other nonprofits in assisng
me, skills and contribuons
tude of challenges as they
flood survivors with renot only in the restoraon of
work toward restoring norsources.
homes but the restoraon of
malcy.
Since
November,
case
In the following months, fohope for flood survivors.
cusing on the survivors’ most managers have worked with
~ Edwina Salazar
Page 3
S u m m e r i s a G re at T i m e to Vo l u n tee r
Are you, or is your teen
(16 years old or older) in
search of rewarding ways
to give back to your community this summer?
Do you know others who
are as well?
You can make all the
difference in the lives of
neighbors in need by volunteering at the OUR Center!
We have a wide range of
ongoing opportunies and
one-me volunteer projects available for individuals and groups.
OUR Wish List
Hospitality Center
and Starng Place Day Services
250 3rd Ave., Longmont
303-772-1342
8am-5pm M-F, 10am-2pm
weekends & holidays
Summer is a busy me at
the OUR Center with increased client need. As
such, our volunteer
needs grow as well. It is
vital that we keep volunteer posions filled so
that we may connue to
serve all those who come
to us in their me of
need.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
If you can help or if you’d
like to learn more, contact Jennifer McNeill at
303-772-5529 ext. 235 or
Jennifer@ourcenter.org.
Clothing Bank
50 E. Rogers Rd.
303-772-7773
8am-12pm Mon.-Sat.
•
Rock & Soul is Back Again!
NEW underwear for men and
women. All sizes.
Aspen Center for Child
Development
501 5th Ave.
303-772-4320
6:30am - 5:30pm Mon.-Fri.
Mark your calendars and
get your dancin’ shoes
ready once again for the
third annual Rock &
Soul—OUR Center’s Fall
Benefit!
Presented again by
Amgen, this indoor/outdoor fesval
features internaonal cuisine from area restaurants
and caterers, live and silent
aucons, and dancing under
the stars to the rock & soul
sounds of One-on-One & the
MilesApart Band, one of the
area’s top local dance
bands! It’ll be another great
party with an even greater
Canned protein items
Tomato sauce/spagheU
sauce
Cereal and cereal bars
Juice boxes
Canned fruit in light juice
Insect repellant & sunscreen
Deodorant
•
•
Saturday, Sept. 20
5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
220 Collyer Street
Longmont
mission—to raise funds for
OUR Center programs.
Sponsorships are available
for $5,000 to $1,000, and
include event ckets, preand post-event markeng,
and recognion. Individual
ckets are available now and
are $40 through 9/7 and $45
therea*er (including at the
door).
Contact Elaine at
303.772.5529 ext. 224 or
Elaine@ourcenter.org for
more informaon, or visit
www.ourcenter.org, select Events & OUR Fall
Benefit.
•
•
Sidewalk chalk
Water color and Tempera
paints
Elmer’s Glue
Construcon paper
In addion to Amgen,
sponsors include:
Matching Programs
Bank of the West
Home State Bank
Dr. Lisa and Mr. Erwin
Turner
Does your employer have a
matching gi* program? Check
with your Human Resources Department and make your donaons go even further! Many
companies offer matching gi*s of
up to 100 percent of your donaon to a charitable organizaon.
Some will give based on volunteer hours as well.
NON PROFIT ORG.
USPS POSTAGE PAID
PERMIT NO. 94
BOULDER, CO
Outreach United
Resource Center, Inc.
303 Atwood St.
Longmont, CO 80501
Phone: 303-772-5529
Fax: 303-684-0856
www.ourcenter.org
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
Your newsletter is inside...
Aspen Center for Child Development Tidbits
OUR Mission
- Aspen Center recently earned a Four Star Qualistar Ra5ng™! Qualistar measures the quality of early learning programs by evaluang
environments, family partnerships, staff training and educaon, adult
-to-child raos and group size, accreditaon, and more. This is the
highest score a center can receive! Staff worked hard to achieve it,
and we could not be more thrilled!
We help people move toward self-sufficiency by
unifying community resources.
- Received grant to renovate playground into an outdoor classroom
and play space. Is parcipang in Happy Feet Soccer Program, Zumba,
& Stretch-n-Grow for physical fitness.
- Did you know that if you donate to Aspen Center, you qualify for the
Colorado Child Care Contribuon Tax Credit? For more informaon,
consult your tax advisor, call 303-772-5529 or visit
www.colorado.gov and search "FYI Income 35".
OUR Center in the Community
∗
Fes5val on Main - Friday, August 22. Look for the OUR
Center and Aspen Center for Child Development's booths
at Fesval on Main, downtown Longmont's signature evening event for the enre community!
∗
Longmont Ford "Cars for a Cause"- Saturday, August 23.
Takes place at Longmont Ford from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and
raises funds for the OUR Center and other local nonprofits.
∗
Modmarket Fundraiser -Tuesday, August 26. One of Longmont’s newest addions, Modmarket (700 Ken PraY Blvd.),
will donate 20 percent of all sales brought in from flyers or
menons at the register from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Sign up for monthly E-News!
OUR monthly E-News is a great way to keep up-to-date on our needs, news, and events. To sign up, please email
chrisne@ourcenter.org or register via www.ourcenter.org. We do not share our mailing list with other organizaons.