Additional Resource

Mormons and Catholics in Colorado Help Homeless Find a Place to Sleep

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Catholic Charities have been working together helping the homeless find a place to live in the Greeley area of northeast Colorado.

 

Latter-day Saints in two stakes (similar to a diocese), Greeley and Windsor, have been volunteering at the Guadalupe Shelter, a facility operated by Catholic Charities, for several years. They saw the need to improve the facilities and accommodations at the neighboring Guadalupe Apartments, also operated by Catholic Charities. The idea of providing beds, sheets, blankets, pillows and furniture was considered, and upon hearing the needs of the shelter’s residents, the Humanitarian Services arm of the Church jumped in to help.

The call was answered to get most of the needed beds and blankets; however, the residents would require additional items. Church members in the two stakes worked together, asking for donations through the project “A Place to Lay His Head.” The effort turned out enough resources to provide bedding, dressers, night stands and a few more beds and bed frames for the 47 apartments.

Approximately 200 Latter-day Saint youth served close to 2,000 hours assembling all the furniture and beds and furnishing the apartments.

Mormons also expressed the hope to continue the relationship with the Guadalupe Shelter and Catholic Charities.

Enita Kerns-Hout, regional director of Catholic Charities, appreciated the help from Latter-day Saints. “The adults and youth left their now-invisible footprint of service in every apartment — now a new home for 80 individuals and children. Their service will not be forgotten by Catholic Charities and those who no longer worry about tomorrow’s safe place to sleep protected from the cold winter’s night.”

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