The mission of EChO is to assist people in our community with their basic and urgent needs and to help them realize their potential on a path to self-sufficiency.

November was a cold and snowy month and December continued the cold weather temperatures. For most of us, the cold weather is a sign to get out our hats and mittens and make sure we have a snow plow company at the ready. But for others in our community, the cold presents different challenges. For those living in their car, this means waking up each hour of the night to turn the car on to heat it enough for the next 50 minutes of sleep. And for those living in their car who then work all day, the challenges mount when you are working on such a low amount of sleep, and none of it quality sleep. Thankfully the Evergreen Shelter Program run by Evergreen Christian Outreach in partnership with 5 area congregations (Bergen Park Church, Christ the King, Church of the Transfiguration, Congregation Beth Evergreen, and Evergreen Lutheran Church) opened on November 4th. For the first two months of this shelter year, the shelter was open 24 of 58 possible nights (the shelter opens when the temperature is due to drop below freezing temperature) and in those 24 nights, 14 different clients overnighted one or many of the nights.
Clients of the Shelter include:
• A father with his 7 year old child. While the child is in school during the day, the dad works as an independent contractor. Years of legal bills obtaining full custody of the child have set this dad back but he knows keeping his child out of the path of the mother’s abusive partner was most important.
• A manual laborer who broke his back 2 years ago has now been hired at a local retail chain where he is being offered new opportunities to learn new skills. He is currently saving money to be able to afford permanent housing.
• A couple in which the wife is fully disabled and the husband works all day in a local retail store. While she receives disability payments, the medical bills and cost of appointments can be staggering.
Anyone interested in volunteering with the Evergreen Shelter Program are welcome at any of the 5 sites. Please reach out to: esp@evergreenchristianoutreach.org for more information.

If you are willing to help defray the costs of this program, please click on the Donate NOW button to be redirected to Colorado Gives secure website. Under the Donation Details pull-down menu select Emergency Shelter Program to make a tax deductible contribution. Thank you for your generous support!