This winter season, Fort Collins Rescue Mission (FCRM) is providing 40 extra beds to men experiencing homelessness. Thanks to the city of Fort Collins and the hard-working staff at FCRM, many more individuals can escape the frigid Colorado temperatures for a warm place to sleep—a change that can mean the difference between life and death.
Emergency Shelter Supervisor, Stacy Downing, talks about the importance of operating FCRM’s Mountain Facility, this winter’s additional cold-weather shelter:
Q: What does it mean for individuals experiencing homelessness this winter to be able to come FCRM’s Mountain Facility?
A: The Mountain Facility opened after Thanksgiving and will be open until the end of April. These are our cold weather months where we really don’t want anybody to pass away or not have a warm, safe place to sleep—especially with our older population and our medically fragile population. So, the city and the Mission came together to say, ‘We’re not willing to allow them to not have a safe, warm place to go for the night.’
Q: What kind of services do men receive at the Mountain Facility?
A: It’s the small things that we believe are the big things for our guests. The kitchen over at the Mission makes the meals for them, and our staff brings them over in hot boxes. We give them a hot breakfast and hot coffee in addition to a sack lunch. Every single day we bring new blankets and sheets over. They can receive toiletries and small clothing items, as well as sign up to take a shower over at the Mission and get needed clothes there as well.
Q: How are the staff working to operate the Mountain Facility?
A: Our staff are very vigilant and committed to being a good community member. Every single day they will go out and pick up every cigarette butt that’s on the ground, make sure there’s no trash out, clean the carpets, and things like that. When you look on the surface it’s like, ‘How are we doing this?’ But when you get a group of people that are committed to standing in the gap for those that are marginalized, Jesus just fills each one of us with this extra love and compassion. Jesus gives us a heart to serve those that so many people overlook all the time, but we don’t—we refuse to overlook them.
Jesus gives us a heart to serve those that so many people overlook all the time, but we don’t—we refuse to overlook them.
Provide Hope This Winter
You are helping us provide more than just a warm place to sleep this winter. You are giving individuals hope that their lives can change for the better. This winter, and all those to come, we thank you for joining us in changing lives in the name of Christ.
