Homeward Alliance

Housing: our housing services department is comprised of multiple initiatives that, collectively, help a range of subpopulations escape or avoid homelessness. In 2022, we empowered more than 400 individuals (including family members) to escape homelessness and helped at least another 150 individuals avoid homelessness. Programs include (a) frequent utilizers system engagement (fuse): intensive, wraparound support to people escaping chronic homelessness, (b) mason place: on-site case management for 60 residents at housing catalyst's mason place permanent supportive housing project, and (c) housing navigation: housing-search, document acquisition and rent assistance for voucher-holders seeking housing in larimer county.

Employment and resource navigation (earn): (formerly listed as dedicated navigator) resource navigators (a) provide task-oriented services, including document acquisition assistance (e.g. Birth certificates), benefits enrollment, and employment-search assistance, (b) divert people out of homelessness at intake (e.g. Rent assistance) or reunify them with friends/family who have stable housing, and (c) serve as the largest intake point for the northern Colorado continuum of care's coordinated entry system-the primary system through which people escape chronic homelessness in larimer and weld counties. Resource navigators operate at multiple locations in larimer county. In 2022, the program served 2,000 individuals, enrolled/referred individuals in/to over 1,500 other programs, helped 205 participants obtain or retain employment, helped 68 individuals escape homelessness via diversion/reunification, and helped participants secure about 1 million in annual public benefits.

Murphy center: we operate the murphy center (mc), a day shelter and the hub of resources for people experiencing or at-risk of homelessness in larimer county. More than a dozen agencies, including Homeward Alliance, collaboratively operate 30-plus services at the building. Homeward Alliance coordinates those activities and oversees day-to-day operations. In 2022, the mc served more than 2,500 unduplicated individuals. We recorded over 4,500 showers, about 1,500 loads of laundry, and 33,000 day shelter check- ins.

Re-entry: we provide intensive, employment-and-housing-focused case management to people on parole who have been identified by the department of corrections as medium- to high-risk of recidivism. The program is funded by the state of Colorado's work and gain employment and education skills (wagees) program; wagees funds a statewide network of agencies that use shared practices to provide similar services-in collaboration with parole- to people on parole. The program serves about 100 participants per year. In 2022, fewer than 10% of program participants recidivated (returned to prison). More than 80% of program participants obtained job-training certifications/credentials, and about 60% retained employment for at least 90 days. Family services (formerly listed as family housing and family resources, now comnined): we provide a range of short- and long-term services to families who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness: (a) quarterly family resource fairs, through which we and other organizations provide a range of services/information to families, (b) clothing/hygiene closet for families, known as family resource connection, that can be accessed by other services providers 24/7 (or by appointment for families), (c) rent/security deposit assistance for families escaping or avoiding homelessness, (d) bilingual resource navigation, comprised of housing navigation and task-oriented assistance similar to that of Homeward Alliance's resource navigation and housing navigation programs, but catered to families. In 2022, we helped 65 families avoid homelessness and 20 escape homelessness. We served 840 families at the closet or at family resource fairs, and conducted more than 100 bilingual navigation sessions. Hmis: Homeward Alliance is the homeless management information system (hmis) lead agency for the northern Colorado continuum of care. Through this role, we oversee the data systems for more than 20 agencies across larimer and weld counties. Most agencies that receive federal or state funding to serve people who are homeless are required to use hmis. We submit all required federal and state reports, ensure data quality across the region, and ensure that the system (a) is compliant and makes possible millions of dollars per year in grant funding across the region and (b) works on a day-to-day basis as a means of collaboration/coordination across agencies, reduce duplication, and improve client care. Bike repair: we hold bike repair/maintenance clinics to (a) ensure that people who are homeless-many who utilize bicycles as their primary means of transportation-have safe and reliable bicycles and (b) build relationships with and help those same individuals connect to other community-based resources. In 2022, the all-volunteer bike repair team held 24 bike repair clinics at the murphy center, mobile home parks, and other key community locations; they served 365 individuals and distributed 38 new or refurbished bicycles. The team volunteered 481 cumulative hours. Mobile laundry: we operate a mobile laundry vehicle, equipped with six washers and six dryers, that visits key community locations and completes loads of laundry for homeless and low-income individuals and families. The all-volunteer team is active (and at different locations) on most weekdays. In 2022, the team completed more than 4,700 loads of laundry and served about 1,300 individuals. Volunteers contributed approximately 3,000 hours.