The families who come to Partners in Housing for assistance often face many obstacles in areas such as childcare, transportation, food insecurity, health, and money. Many times, they have lost hope that things will work out. | |
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With fall here, and winter approaching, families have heightened concerns around staying healthy and being able to keep their children in school and daycare. They are affected by high costs and increasing demand for required services. Finding childcare so they can go to work is an enormous barrier. Finding transportation, or paying related costs, is another barrier to their ability to earn the living wage needed to support their family.
When Jessica’s* car broke down, she lost her only form of transportation. With limited support from family or friends, she was unable to start her new job or get her daughter to daycare.
When winter break approached last year, Danielle* wasn’t sure where to look or what to cut in her already tight budget so her kids could eat lunch. Through SNAP benefits, she could provide breakfast and dinner for her children, but the benefits didn’t stretch enough to cover lunch which school typically provided. She was making $15/hour while also working on her GED so she could increase her earning potential, but until that time, she had to figure something else out.
Families in our program have to make difficult decisions while finding the strength and resilience to continue moving forward. The support and stability of our program, paired with their grit have resulted in some remarkable outcomes. Please scroll down and take a look at the Family Outcomes graphic to see the great success achieved by the families while navigating the many obstacles placed in their path.
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2021-2022 Family Outcomes | |
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For over 30 years, we have been committed to providing the most effective services to support the families that come into our program. We use many methods of tracking the families’ hard work and progress and in addition to reporting purposes, we use the measurements as an ongoing evaluation tool so we can be dynamic and nimble with our service delivery as the needs of families continue to change.
We are so incredibly proud of the many accomplishments achieved by the families in our program this past year and are pleased to share these core outcomes with you!
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FIRST ANNUAL NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS EVENT | | |
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Were you in attendance when we celebrated our newly renovated Colorado House & Resource Center and raised awareness for our mission on that beautiful September 24th day? If you were, we hope you enjoyed the delicious food from food trucks Go Fish!, The Original Dr. Taco, or American Bento, had fun playing games and earning tickets for the giveaway prizes, enjoyed the indoor tour, the photo booth, and we hope you won one of our awesome prizes like the inflatable paddle board, the Rumpl blanket, the hydration packs, the travel French press mug, and – there’s too many to list!
We were so delighted by the Partners in Housing supporters that brought friends and family not already familiar with our agency and the enthusiasm the supporters had while sharing our mission and their involvement!
We had a great time and hope to make this event an annual one! To those who celebrated with us this year and those who couldn’t make it, we hope to see you next year!
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A BIG thank you to all event donors and sponsors! We couldn’t have made it happen without you! Please continue reading to learn about our champion sponsor and long-time supporter, U.S. Bank! | |
Sponsor Spotlight: U.S. Bank | |
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U.S. Bank, our champion sponsor for the Neighbors Helping Neighbors event, has been an avid supporter of Partners in Housing for over a decade! Through volunteerism, financial support, and sponsorship contributions, U.S. Bank has been invaluable in their efforts
to move families forward in our community.
U.S. Bank volunteers can often be found landscaping or applying a fresh coat of paint to a Partners in Housing home to get it in tip top shape for the next family. We would like to give a special shout out to Assistant Vice President, Stephen Schaffer who coordinates U.S. Bank’s volunteer opportunities and puts his all into every project!
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How to Help During the Holidays | | |
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"The gift card last Christmas was a wonderful and much needed blessing. I was able to get my little girl gifts! Thank you!"
– A mother in our program after the holidays
As this year’s holidays approach, we look forward to offering families in our program the opportunity to create special memories and develop traditions important to them. Here are a few ways to make the holidays brighter for Partners in Housing families:
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• Donate to our Gift Card Drive! Gift cards give parents the opportunity to shop for their own family, continue their family traditions, and prioritize their family needs such as food, gas, or warm winter clothing. Walmart, King Soopers, Target, and Safeway are the easiest cards for the families to use. Gift cards can be donated in-person, mailed, or we can purchase on your behalf when you donate through our website and list the designation as “2022 Gift Card Drive.”
• Donate NEW gifts for parents and children! Each year, Partners in Housing hosts a Holiday Shopping event where parents and children select gifts for their family. New gifts for parents and children (ranging from babies to teens) are needed for this event!
• Host a hygiene drive! Hygiene items always fly off the shelves of our Donation Center! By hosting a drive and collecting new products, families have access to these essential items.
Please contact Jenni at jcornella@partnersinhousing.org for more information or to coordinate a drop-off time.
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Make sure to mark these events on your calendar with proceeds going toward Partners in Housing this holiday season:
• COS Ladies Events’ Holiday Charity Craft Fair, Saturday, 11/19 from 10 am-4 pm at the Radisson Hotel. (80% of proceeds to benefit Partners in Housing)
• Keller Williams Clients’ Choice Realty 11th Annual Craft Fair, Saturday, 11/19 from 10am-4pm at 1175 Kelly Johnson Blvd. (100% of proceeds to benefit Partners in Housing)
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Become a Housing Hero (or see if you already are!) | |
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“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.”
-Vincent Van Gogh
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You can make great things happen when you join Housing Heroes, a group of compassionate, changed-focus individuals that give monthly.
As a Housing Hero, you’ll be making a consistent, direct impact all year long. Families come to Partners in Housing in need of a safe, stable place to call home and your contributions make that possible.
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There are benefits to doing good like:
• Receiving exclusive Partners in Housing event and tour invitations
• Being eligible to receive the Child Care Contribution Tax Credit, a 50% credit on your Colorado state taxes if your donations reach at least $500 (just $42/month!)
• Getting fun things like a sticker for your water bottle or laptop that show your support!
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Here’s how to join:
• If you’re already giving through a recurring monthly donation, congratulations, you’re a Housing Hero and have been doing the incredible by fighting family homelessness!
• If you’d like to become a Housing Hero, please scan the QR code or visit partnersinhousing.org/donate/ and when making your donation, check the box under “Recurring Gift”!
Thank you for making a difference!
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PAYING IT FORWARD HAS TAX BENEFITS! | |
We’ve made it easier to support Partners in Housing
AND save on your Colorado state taxes!
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CHILD CARE CONTRIBUTION CREDIT
50% TAX CREDIT
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The most advantageous tax credit we offer is the Childcare Tax Credit which gives donors like you a 50% credit on your state tax liability! A popular misconception for this tax credit is that a donor needs to have children to qualify which isn't accurate. This tax credit was created to promote giving to nonprofit organizations that provide quality childcare in Colorado. Partners in Housing’s Child Enrichment Center is a qualified program and allows our donors to have this tax credit opportunity! To qualify, donate $500+ in 2022 in a single donation. You can give by check or by card. Please include “Child Enrichment Center” in the memo line of your check or if giving online, select “Other” for the Designation drop-down box and enter there. | |
EL PASO COUNTY ENTERPRISE ZONE
25% TAX CREDIT
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Always consult with your accountant and/or tax advisor for advice concerning your particular circumstances. If you would like additional information regarding either tax credit, please contact Jillian at jbirchmeier@partnersinhousing.org or (719) 325-5830.
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