There are hundreds of people coming into town, and most of them are here on vacation having the time of their life. But, there are a few who come here looking for a safe place to lay their head at night. Crossroads is focused on loving our neighbors no matter who they are, where they’ve come from or what their current level of need is.

We meet people where they are with no strings attached, and together we determine the best path forward for individual and family. Our immediate response involves giving hungry people enough food for a couple days. From there, our Case Manager, Eva Banuelos, and Client Advocate, Jess Borries, dive into a comprehensive assessment to find out what an individual’s current reality looks like and what our best stewardship options are as we move forward with assistance. Compassion is a value we fully embrace as we interact with people who are experiencing a challenging season in life. In this very moment, and for the past 43 years, we have served as the primary non-profit in town, where the police, businesses, town government officials, community leaders, churches, and partnering organizations send people who need help with basic human services.

Some people come with a “shut-off” notice from the town’s electric service, and we step in to help with a one-time assist, and generally never see them again. Whereas, others seem to find themselves in need more often, and this is where we help guide people into a better path of spending, budgeting, and/or creating a healthy support group that will be in their corner when tough times come around. Crossroads is truly blessed to serve our neighbors with a variety of skills and expertise given through our paid staff, volunteers and board members.

During the summer, you are probably aware that we have people experiencing homelessness. You might see them pushing a shopping cart, sleeping on park benches, asking for money at the corners, or just walking the sidewalks. Crossroads doesn’t operate a homeless shelter, but we are the ones in town to engage with people who are living outdoors without any means to secure permanent housing. At times, we receive phone calls from concerned citizens regarding individuals they have observed. They are generally concerned about the individual’s condition, and are interested in how we’re helping them.

For your situational awareness, Crossroads will address any immediate issues related to people experiencing homelessness, but a majority of services and resources for getting people rehoused are located in Loveland, Fort Collins, and Boulder. Since February, we have begun a mobile outreach program to assist the homeless, and one of our services is providing a ride down the hill to a variety of places.

As with any of us, we have the freedom to choose our next step, and for some, the direction they choose is not what we might choose, but out of love and dignity for the person, we choose not to “strong-arm” anyone into making decisions. Living on the streets without any possessions, security, stability, safety or basic necessities is quite daunting for someone to experience. And for some individuals, they might be struggling with a mental health disorder, or a traumatic experience from their past that has caused them to distrust people. I share all of this, because I want you to know that if you ever come across someone that you feel is experiencing homelessness, and their need is beyond what you feel comfortable meeting yourself, then please send them to Crossroads. Better yet, give me a call at 970-599-4200, and one of our staff members will respond immediately to offer assistance.

The Good Samaritan found the person in need, but he realized it was beyond his abilities to offer long-term care, so he reached out to the innkeeper to make sure the injured person received the best care possible. We want to partner with you to make our town a place where no one finds themselves in a challenging season alone. Let’s work together to make sure everyone feels the love and care of their neighbors! If you’d like to talk more in-depth on this topic, then please reach out. I’d enjoy the opportunity to share a beverage or meal with you as we discuss some of this.