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The Broomfield FISH
2024 Annual Report is here!
Everyone Wins! Read our 2024 Annual Report and discover the impact FISH has made in Broomfield! We are proud that 89 cents of every dollar directly aids low income neighbors in our community. Last year, FISH helped more than 15,000 unduplicated individuals, over half of whom were children. That's 1 out of every 5 Broomfield residents! We could not operate without YOUR support and we are committed to providing vital services to our neighbors in need!
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Help Us Stamp Out Hunger
Saturday, May 10th
Mark your calendars! Saturday, May 10th, is our biggest food drive of the year, Stamp Out Hunger! A huge thank you to our three participating post offices, our amazing letter carriers, and more than 100 volunteers for helping us collect food to prevent hunger!
Here's how to participate, right from home:
1️⃣ Look for the yellow Stamp Out Hunger bags in your mailbox. (Or use your own!)
2️⃣Fill the bag with non-perishable items in the bag. (No glass please!)
3️⃣ Place the bag back next to your mailbox on Saturday, May 10th for your letter carrier to pick up!
Our goal is to collect more than 40,000 pounds of food-- all in one day! So, if you can fit that one extra box or can in the bag, you might help us reach our goal.
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Let's Talk About Housing
Broomfield City Council adopted a proclamation declaring May as "Income Aligned Housing Month," reaffirming the importance of accessible, safe, and affordable housing for all and highlighting ongoing efforts towards creating an inclusive community. So what does the term "Income Aligned Housing" mean? Simply that all residents, at all income levels, should be able to afford their housing! Why is this important to Broomfield FISH? Namely because high housing costs are the number one driver of poverty in our community. See the graphs below to learn more.
| Purchasing a mid-priced home in Broomfield requires an annual income of $143,080 and affording a mid-level rental unit costs $91,960 per year. Shockingly, it would take nearly 3 Broomfield teacher salaries to cover this, leaving little for other essentials like food, transportation, and health expenses. Did you know that FISH participants spend an average of 75% of their monthly income on housing costs? FISH is a proud member of the Broomfield Housing Solutions Forum working to find creative solutions to the housing crisis. Learn more by visiting the Broomfield Housing For All website. | |
Volunteer Spotlight
To all of our volunteers: This spotlight is for YOU!
Broomfield FISH recently celebrated National Volunteer Appreciation Week, and we want to acknowledge and honor ALL of our volunteers for their incredible contributions to our community. Your time, energy, and dedication is truly awe inspiring.
Thank you for being a part of the FISH family!
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What Does Cinco de Mayo Celebrate?
While you might know Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican holiday, did you know this holiday is more widely celebrated in the United States than it is in Mexico? Have you ever wondered what it celebrates?
(Hint: It's NOT Mexican Independence day, that's September 16th!)
On May 5, 1862, 6,000 French troops stormed the Mexican city of Heróica Puebla de Zaragoza to bring it under French rule. Against all odds, the outnumbered Mexican soldiers fiercely fought back, forcing the French to retreat by evening. Today, the people of Puebla, Mexico, observe the holiday Cinco de Mayo to celebrate the unlikely victory, even though it's not widely celebrated throughout the rest of Mexico. While some folks in the US tend to celebrate in some stereotypical ways, may folks are beginning to understand the holiday honors the battle as well as Mexican culture.
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Join Our Garden Volunteer Team And Grow Food For Our Neighbors:
May - September
Learn how you can get involved in our community teaching garden!
This year, FISH will be growing food in the 13 raised beds behind our own building and also alongside the Salvation Army in their 50 raised beds!
We are eager to create a core team of regular volunteers who can help till, plant, weed, water, and harvest produce this year.
There is NO AGE MINIMUM for volunteering in the garden, but we ask that anyone under 16 be accompanied by an adult.
Please fill out the form below if you are interested in becoming a FISH garden volunteer and our Garden Coordinator will reach out with more details.
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Quick Qs!
We want to learn more about you! Each month, we will share a question about your experience with FISH and how we can better connect with our FISH Family.
(These questions are completely optional! The Broomfield FISH team will be able to see your answers, but they will not be shared publicly.)
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| What do you think about Income Aligned Housing in Broomfield? | | | |
Up and Coming
Single Moms Mother’s Day Party at The Refuge
Saturday May 10th, 9am
This special party is a Refuge tradition and open to all single moms who need a little laughter, hope, and connection on Mother’s Day weekend. We'll have all kinds of special goodness for moms and a special kids program, too. RSVP’s are definitely needed for set up and the kids program. RSVP Here. Email info@therefugeco.org if you have any questions.
Yard Pals: Making A Difference in Broomfield
Become a Yard Pals volunteer and connect with the Broomfield community by assisting a neighbor with lawn mowing and raking/mulching throughout the summer and fall seasons to keep them code compliant. This is a rewarding volunteer opportunity and volunteers don’t need to supply the mower. Learn more by visiting Broomfield.org/BroomfieldPals, or emailing broomfield-pals@broomfield.org.
The 2025 Broomfield Summer Program Guide is now available online! The Broomfield Program Guide is a one-stop-shop to find and register for ALL programs, classes, and events in the City and County of Broomfield including Recreation, Library, G.R.E.E.N., Cultural Affairs, Police, and more!
Check out the Broomfield Library's May events calendar to see upcoming programming for all ages at the library, the Depot Museum, inventHQ, and the auditorium!
If you are a parent looking for extra resources, you can find more offerings from Broomfield Early Childhood Council here and from the Parent Engagement Network here.
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Broomfield FISH is a proud member of the Colorado Family Resource Center Association. | | | | | |
