Faith Partnership Newsletter - great ways to get involved in your community!

CAMP BRAVEHEART TAKING REGISTRATIONS NOW, SPONSORS ALSO NEEDED!

The Community Grief Center is now taking registrations for this summer’s Camp BraveHeart for grieving kids and teens.

Camp BraveHeart is a camp for children, ages 5-18, who are grieving the loss of a sibling, parent or other close family members. They will have the opportunity to share feelings and memories with other children who have experienced a similar loss. They will leave the day with a renewed sense of self and coping skills that will help them manage grief in everyday life.

• The day camp for ages 5-11 will take place at Colorado Youth Outdoors August 3, 2019 
• The overnight camp for ages 12-18 will take place at Sky Corral Ranch July 20-21, 2019

The camp is free but requires a $50 refundable deposit. To learn more and register or to sponsor a camper, visit www.communitygriefcenter.org/campbraveheart.

UWWC Housing Navigation Center Now Open

United Way of Weld County’s Housing Navigation Center (HNC) opened its doors to the public on April 1. The HNC is located at TriPointe Business Center (northwest corner), 3001 8^th Ave. #285, Evans, and is open from 8:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

“We will be providing resources such as short-term locker storage, mail collection, computer access, and a central place for people to meet with various agencies in our community that assist those experiencing homelessness or housing instability,” HNC coordinator Brandy Chaparro said. “We are committed to a Housing First philosophy, assisting people in getting back into permanent housing and making homelessness rare, short-lived, and non-reoccurring.” Plans for shower and laundry facilities are in the works.

The HNC is located in the same building as the HNC Cold Weather Shelter, which was open to guests from November 1 through April 15. During the cold weather season, guests stayed a total of 9,975 nights and were served 17,456 meals. There were 524 unduplicated guests, with 32 veterans served. Only 83 guests were repeat guests from a prior year. The breakdown of guests who accessed the Cold Weather Shelter were as follows: 392 men and 132 women; 51 people between ages 18-24, 218 people between 25-40, 163 people between 41-55 and 92 people over 55.

To learn more about the HNC or find out how you can volunteer, contact Chaparro at brandy@unitedway-weld.org or (970) 573-6430.

Support the Greeley-Weld Habitat for Humanity Faith Build

So far, 25 churches have committed to work together to build a Habitat home for the Bocanegra-Tejeda family. The Bocanegra-Tejeda family of six are longtime residents of Greeley. Guadalupe and Raquel have been married for over 18 years. They have four children; daughters Maria (16), Herminia (14), Rosalina (10) and son, Jose (7). Guadalupe has been a loyal employee of Cargill for over 17 years. Raquel works part-time while managing the children’s schedules and their household.

The family currently lives in an older, 3-bedroom trailer with constant sewer problems, broken windows and a leaking roof. Those conditions are especially troublesome in the winter, making it very difficult and expensive to keep their home warm and dry. In the summer they have a bug problem due to gaps and holes in the walls. Guadalupe and Raquel do not feel safe allowing the children to play in the neighborhood.

The Bocanegra-Tejedas are an inspiration, working hard and staying focused on their goals. With support from the faith community, they will soon realize their goal of owning their own home.

Ways Your Church Can Get Involved

• Pray for the Habitat home buyer family, for the build and the safety of all involved
• Schedule a group build day for your church
• Prepare lunch for build site volunteers
• Take a special offering for the Faith Build
• Organize your own fundraiser individually or with your church
• Sell handmade items as a fundraiser for The Faith Build
• Host a Thrivent Action Team as part of a Faith Build fundraiser
• Participate in the Cookie Walk Fundraiser in December by baking cookies or volunteering       with your family
• Donate an item or service to a Habitat silent auction
• Serve as a Habitat Family Mentor providing support for a Habitat home-buyer family throughout the build process
• Speak at a Lunch & Learn mentorship session on the build site for the Jefferson High School Students

To learn more about the Habitat Faith Build Program or to volunteer, contact Lowrey Moyer at 970-351-6766 ext.107 or Lowrey@GreeleyHabitat.org