Poudre School District
 
Wellington Middle-High School

Principal: Kelby Benedict

Wellington Middle-High School
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Family Support Resources

Winter Wonderland Event for Families

December 11, 2021 3:00-7:00 PM  @ Vineyard Church of the Rockies

Guests of honor will receive: Free kids shoes & socks, groceries, family portraits, a hot meal, toys, crafts, desserts, breast health services, and winter wear. Must RSVP.  Click on the link to the left under Resources for more details.

 

The COVID-19 pandemic has created financial hardship for many in our community, leading to housing instability and food insecurity. There are financial resources available to help families and landlords and protections in place to help people stay housed. Below is a summary of some key resources that families can access for support with housing, food, and utilities.

Context:

  • CO eviction moratorium expired 12/31/2020 so evictions can resume for non-COVID-19 related reasons. The federal moratorium will expire 1/31/2021.

  • 50% of Larimer County renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing (before the pandemic). National data suggests that 1 in 4 of all renters and 1 in 2 Hispanic/Latinx renters worry about paying rent during the pandemic.

  • More than $2.7 million in emergency rent assistance has been distributed in Larimer County since March 2020.

  • Prior to the pandemic, 1 in 11 Coloradoans reported not knowing where their next meal would come from. Because of the pandemic, 1 in 3 Coloradoans (especially those with young children) now report this type of food insecurity.

The following information is not a comprehensive list of resources in the community, but rather is designed to direct families to key resources specific to financial needs during COVID-19.

Need additional support or resources not listed below?

  • Call 211 for help in English and Spanish M-F 8:00 – 5:00.

Emergency Rental Support

State and federal funding sources approved in late December 2020 may cover past due rent as well as future rent payments to help families with COVID-19 related financial strain stabilize their housing.

If you cannot pay your rent:

  • Ask your landlord if they are accessing the Property Owner Preservation (POP) program. POP pays landlords directly if you are not able to pay rent due to financial or health impacts of COVID-19. POP funding will cover the full monthly rent amount.
  • If your landlord is not accessing POP or you don’t qualify (the financial stress is not related to COVID), access:

Neighbor to Neighbor:

    • Find application for rent assistance via n2n.org. Apply online or by phone at 970-488-2382. Hours: M-Th 8:00 – 12:00, 1:00 – 5:00, F 8:00 – 12:00
      Note: Neighbor to Neighbor is working hard to process all rent applications, however due to demand there may be a 1-2 week wait for assistance.
  • Interfaith Solidarity and Accompaniment Coalition (ISAAC):

Eviction Legal Aid

If you get an eviction notice:

  • Contact the above agencies for emergency rent support as soon as possible and tell them you received an eviction notice, even if you have accessed rent support in the past.
  • Contact Colorado Legal Services for help responding to an eviction notice:
    Phone: 970-493-2891, 211, W. Magnolia St. Fort Collins, CO 80521
  • Review this Housing Empowerment Guide (https://fuerzalatinafoco.org/resources) prepared by Fuerza Latina to understand your rights and the type of information that you will need to gather.

For Families Experiencing or At Risk of Homelessness

If you are being asked to leave your home, you can get help from these organizations:

  • Family Housing Network: www.familyhousingnetwork.org/
    Day Center and offices: 1606 S Lemay #103, Fort Collins, CO  80525. Phone: 970-484-3342. Hours: M - Sa 9:00am – 4:00pm
  • Catholic Charities, The Mission in Fort Collins for emergency overnight shelter. Call for an appointment: Phone: 970-484-5010. Hours: M-F 8:30 - 4:30, 460 Linden Center Dr. Fort Collins, CO 80524
  • Homeward Alliance, in partnership with the Family Center/La Familia, Fuerza Latina and the Family Housing Network, provides services through the Camino a Casa Collective.
    • The Collective offers bilingual resource navigation assistance to help families—primarily Spanish-speaking—connect to community resources. This collective provides flexible funding for items that are not often covered by other agencies (e.g. application fees).
    • For more information or assistance, please contact Nancy Camacho, Bilingual Family Housing Navigator, at Nancy@HomewardAlliance.org or call (970) 430-6513. Hours M-F 8:00 – 5:00, Sa-Su 8:00 – 1:00

Food Support

Food insecurity has increased rapidly during the COVID pandemic. We encourage every family who is facing food insecurity to reach out and see if they are eligible for SNAP (food stamps) or WIC (for families with very young children). The recently passed Federal COVID Relief bill includes an increase in SNAP benefits and additional changes that expand eligibility. Many organizations are ready to help with SNAP and WIC eligibility and enrollment support (support is available in English and Spanish).

Utilities Support

If you receive a notice that your utilities will be shut-off unless you make payment:

  • Contact one of these agencies for one-time bill payment assistance:
    • Catholic Charities Larimer County, 970-484-5010 
    • The Family Center/La Familia, 970-221-1615 
    •  Goodwill of Colorado, 888-775-5327
  • Contact the City of Fort Collins Utilities to set up a payment arrangement:

970-212-2900, V/TDD: 711 or email utilities@fcgov.com

Visit: fcgov.com/utilities-affordability

Wellington Resources

Serve 6.8
Food market, clothing boutique, spiritual and financial crisis care, giving tree, etc.
970-449-5401

Food Resource Center
River of Life Church
970-568-0838
2nd and 4th Thursdays, 3:30-5:30pm

Food Bank - Larimer County
8445 Third Street, Wellington, CO 80549
1st and 3rd Thursdays, 1:30-2:30pm
970-776-6763

Call Wellington Middle School with questions or other needs:
970-488-6600, ask for Christie or Aida

PSD does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, veteran status, age or disability in access or admission to, or treatment or employment in, its programs or activities. A lack of English speaking skills will not be a barrier to admission or participation.