Homeward Alliance

A nonprofit organization

$111,893 raised by 818 donors

100% complete

$85,000 Goal

ABOUT US:

Homeward Alliance is a Larimer County-based non-profit with a mission to empower individuals and families who face homelessness to survive, move forward and thrive.  We serve over 5,000 children, youth, adults and seniors each year at the Murphy Center for Hope, based in Fort Collins, and at outreach locations including the Loveland Resource Center, Loveland Salvation Army, local domestic violence shelters and libraries.  We offer a continuum of programs and initiatives--including basic needs, resource navigation, employment and case management--designed to help people secure housing, economic stability, and move forward with their lives.  

We operate according to data-informed, best-practices and our diverse staff reflect the community we serve.

Homelessness has been called one of our country’s most “urgent, tragic and completely solvable” problems.  Our approach is to work at system, program and individual levels to build a response system that is intentionally centered around best practices, data-informed interventions.  We envision a community in which homelessness is rare, short-lived and non-recurring.


2022 OUTCOMES:

Last year we helped over 350 people escape homelessness, helped secure 205 jobs for people experiencing homelessness , served 1,996 unduplicated people with resource navigation activities (ID attainment, housing applications, job search, etc.), provided resource support and navigation to over 800 families experiencing or at risk of homelessness, among many other outcomes.  Among those enrolled in our housing case management programs, we recorded a 89% 6-month housing retention rate.


TESTIMONIALS:

"I remember that day of September 8th, 2021, as if it were yesterday. I stayed the night at Catholic Charities Homeless shelter my first night out of jail. That morning, I remember thinking to myself, I do not know where I am going, but I know that I want a better life.  My peers told me that the Murphy Center will help with getting a phone, housing resources, clothes, shoes, coffee, breakfast, and a warm place to be. 

I walked into this building, and my life was forever changed. I was introduced to Emily who helped me get my first cell phone, Anthony who helped me with my wardrobe. And then I was paged back to meet with Tom and Bev. They listened to me and believed me. They believed in me more than I believed in myself at that moment in time. Those were the most uplifting and angelic words that I have ever heard in my life. That was all I needed to hear at that moment. They then were able to offer me a housing choice voucher that would solve so many obstacles in everyday life for me. 

At that moment, I knew I would never have to sleep on a frigid sidewalk again. I knew that eating out of a dumpster would be a figment of my past, and in that instant, I knew that I had a fighting chance."  -Heather, now housed and attending college

"Thank you for helping our family.  Your existence has allowed us to sustain and maintain our dignity." - Note from family served by Family Navigator (homelessness prevention services)

"Every one of the staff members at the Murphy Center know me.  They have provided me with food, shelter, clothing, socks, conversation.  They have uplifted me.  They’ve called the ambulance for me.  They have treated me like a human being and respected me, even when I was drunk.  They never, ever treated me poorly even when I was mean and ornery.  I don’t know all their names, but when I look them in the eye I know they know me and my story." -James, now housed and employed

 

Giving Activity

Mission

To empower individuals and families who face homelessness to survive, move forward and thrive.

Background Statement

We were founded in 2008 with a simple mission: collect and distribute life-sustaining supplies to the people who needed them most. In the 15 years since, that program has helped thousands of people survive and meet basic needs. More importantly, we have applied (and continue to apply) our founding principles: collect data to identify gaps, implement evidence-based solutions to fill those gaps and evaluate our work in terms of outcomes and efficiency, and, simultaneously, lead or participate in system-level efforts to address the issue.

That has led us to absorb or launch over a dozen additional programs and initiatives, all intentionally unique to our community and designed strategically to work in coordination with existing services and fill gaps in need. This includes operation of the Murphy Center: our community’s resource center, day shelter and the primary point of entry into our region’s coordinated (housing) entry system.

We also serve as the Data Lead for our Continuum of Care’s (COC) Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), ensuring that our community is collecting high quality, actionable data to end homelessness for more people.

In the last five years, we have empowered over 1,500 people to escape homelessness, assumed a leadership role in our rapidly improving, regional homelessness response system, and built a staff and board that represents the diversity of our community and elevates those with lived experience.

Organization Data

Summary

Organization name

Homeward Alliance

other names

Homeless Gear, Inc.

Year Established

2010

Tax id (EIN)

27-4641606

Category

Human Services

Organization Size

Large Organization

Address

242 Conifer Street
Fort Collins, CO 80524

Mailing

PO Box 873
Fort Collins, CO 80522

Service areas

Larimer County, CO, US

Other

970-658-9878

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