OUR Center needs you, especially now

A few weeks ago, the Longmont Chamber of Commerce chose the OUR Center as the 2008 Nonprofit of the Year. This honor reflects the dedication of the staff and volunteers who give tirelessly to help people in the St Vrain region move toward self sufficiency.

We also want to thank the Longmont and the greater Boulder County community for their strong support of Ballot Issue 1B, otherwise known as the Worthy Cause Tax. The funds allocated to us for 2009-2010 will be used for critically needed capital improvements and repairs, enabling us to use more of our precious funds to help families and individuals in desperate need of assistance.

These are challenging times for everyone, especially so for those living pay check to pay check, those on fixed incomes, or who have an underlying condition such as illness or a physical or mental disability. In a sense, the OUR Center is like the "canary in the coal mine," a harbinger of tough times to come, as winter sets in, utility costs increase, and the recession stretches on. Over the past few months, the OUR Center has seen an unprecedented increase in people seeking assistance, far more than in the months following 9/11. Most of our clients have jobs and, until recently, have been self-sufficient. Many have children. One of the fastest growing client groups is the elderly, who increasingly find it difficult to make ends meet on fixed incomes.

Our clients’ needs go far beyond food and clothing but often include utility and rental assistance, shelter, prescriptions, affordable child care, budgeting advise, transportation, help in finding a job, or advocacy in getting the help they need for their disabilities. A significant portion of our funds go toward utility assistance, as utility shutoff is often the lynch pin that starts the downward spiral toward homelessness.

At the OUR Center, we see our role as a "one stop shop," the starting point for people seeking assistance in our community. We are proud of our reputation for being a friendly, welcoming place where clients receive "a help up, not a hand out" from experienced case managers through creative and efficient use of our partnerships and funds (84% of our funds go directly to client services).

The people we help are your neighbors, like the father of three who gave up his car to save money, and who now makes ends meet by getting groceries from the OUR Center and riding his OUR Center-donated bicycle to work. Like the mother of three small children whose husband suddenly left her, who, by using the OUR Center’s childcare and other resources, was able to start up her own business while attaining self-sufficiency.

In this season of giving, the OUR Center needs your help more than ever. While we always appreciate food (especially cereal) and clothing donations, what we particularly need is cash donations to help us handle the unprecedented demand in the upcoming months. We appreciate any amount, in fact, a mere $2.00 donation buys a meal for a client. You can make a direct tax deductible donation. Making a donation to either the OUR Child Care Center or Child Care Endowment Fund entitles you to not only a federal deduction but also a deduction of 50% of your contribution on your Colorado income tax through 2009. The net cost to a taxpayer of $100 donation is only $17 (assuming a 28% federal tax bracket and 4.63% state income tax).

Whatever means you may choose, the people in our community seeking assistance from the OUR Center need your help. Our mission of moving people toward self-sufficiency is being tested more than ever before. And thank you again for your support.

For more information, give us a call at 303-772-5529 or visit us on our website at