Our Response to COVID-19
Updated 4.8.2021

As a community organization, we strive to preserve the safety and health of our guest families, volunteers, staff, and community.  Family Promise of Colorado Springs is currently "home" to 21 families with an additional 22 families (78 individuals) working to remain housed with the support of our homeless prevention and rapid-rehousing programs.  We continue to understand the need for social distancing, and taking extra precautions in cleaning and sanitizing, while also understanding our families do not have other options for safety and shelter, with or without the threat of the COVID-19. 

 

We remain steadfast in our commitment to serve vulnerable families in our community, and will not reduce service availability or capacity. 

 

To ensure Family Promise of Colorado Springs remains a place of dignity, safety, and hope, we have enacted detailed plans and protocols to protect the health of our applicants, guests, staff, volunteers.  We will do our part to slow the spread of this virus in our community.

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Overview Organizational and Program COVID-19 Protocols:

Effective Sunday, March 15, 2020 through May 15, 2021

On or before April 30, 2021, the FPCOS Leadership team will evaluate the community needs and environment for revision, extension, or termination of these protocols, and will update our communications upon decision.  

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Organizational Protocols:

  • Restricted Entry:  Only staff and the families we serve will be permitted entry to our properties.

    • All in-person volunteer activities have been suspended.  We have launched a new virtual volunteerism program; if you are interested in more information please reach out to us via email.

      • The Family Promise Girl Scout Troop has resumed troop meetings virtually.​

      • All volunteer group projects have been postponed.  

      • All Interns are following their schools' policies, and we will not be accepting new interns at this time.

    • All non-court ordered community partner visits will be facilitated with virtual meeting​ capability being provided to our guest families.  If possible, court ordered home visits will be facilitated through the same means.

  • Staff:  Our New Promise Family Shelter remains staffed 24/7, and our IHN Day House, although closed to the public, remains staffed.​

    • Our staff who are in a higher risk demographic are working remotely.​

    • Our staff from lower risk demographics will be caring for families at the Day House and New Promise Family Shelter.

    • Our administrative offices have moved to the New Promise Family Shelter.

    • As always, staff who are systematic of any illness continue to be encouraged to stay home.

    • All staff are required to wear face masks while on FPCOS properties; guests are encouraged to also wear masks when in communal spaces. 

  • In-Kind Donations:  Limited acceptance​ at our New Promise Family Shelter 

    • No items such as clothing, shoes, bedding, furniture, stuffed animals, etc will be accepted.​

    • We will continue to accept hygiene items, cleaning supplies, toilet paper, paper towels, Kleenex, diapers, wipes.

    • Food:  We will accept in kind food donations at our New Promise Family Shelter - by appointment only.  Please call 719.358.6220 to schedule

  • Education: Staff and Families are given the most up to date information in preventative measures and how they can be applied to individual situations

  • Viral Infection Survey:  All families we interact with in person complete a health self-assessment ​

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IHN Family Shelter Protocols:

  • Suspension of Congregational Rotation:  While our families are not the most at-risk populations for this virus, many of our congregational volunteers are.  With multiple host congregations closed, in an effort to protect our volunteers and congregational partners, there will not be families staying in local congregations during this time.

    • We continue to serve our IHN Guest Families at static-site locations, and we have expanded capacity to five families.​

    • IHN Families are being provided with meals through congregational support and in-kind food donations.

    • Please note:  The Congregational Rotation is suspended through January 22nd, 2022.

  • Increased Cleaning and Disinfecting:  The Day House continues to be our IHN Guest Families' home base​

    • Increased frequency and disinfection through CDC recommended methods.​

  • Illness Protocols:​

    • In hopes of never engaging these protocols, following the recommendations of the Health Department and the CDC, we are prepared to respond quickly and effectively to best support Guest Families should they develop systems of COVID-19.

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New Promise Family Shelter Protocols:

  • Access to Community Space:  ​​​

    • Community Space​ is closed due to social distancing requirements. 

    • Sign-up required with a 2 person limit in our Communal Kitchen and Resource Room.

    • Only Guest Families and staff may utilize space other than the main office. 

  • Increased Cleaning and Disinfecting:  

    • Increased frequency and disinfection of Communal Space, as well as family rooms through CDC recommended methods.​

  • Illness Protocols:​

    • In hopes of never engaging these protocols, following the recommendations of the Health Department and the CDC, we are prepared to respond quickly and effectively to best support Guest Families should they develop systems of COVID-19.

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Community Based Programs:  Homeless Prevention, Rapid Re-Housing, Transitional Housing, Hope Homes

  • Suspension of Home Visits:

    • To ensure the health a safety of our families and staff, case management will be provided ​by virtual means available to family.  We are increasing communication via e-mail and text message.  

    • Families are able to meet face-to-face if required at the New Promise Family Shelter.

  • Disinfectant and cleaning supplies are available for our families in these programs.

  • Influx Preparedness:​

    • We have prepared for and are working with we are preparing for an influx of demand for Homeless Prevention, Rapid Rehousing, and Shelter Services.  ​We are aware that the community wide prevention measures have far reaching implications for low-income families and have actively increased our service capacity to meet the increased need.

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While volunteer and in-kind opportunities are limited, we need our community now more than ever. 

Here are four ways you can help:

  1. Give Financially:  These transitions increase costs for Family Promise of Colorado Springs, so your financial support during this time period is vital to our continued operations.

  2. Supply Donations: We are in need of specific supplies for cleaning, sanitation, and infant care during this time.  Please follow us on Facebook to keep track of updated needs requests.  You can also call us at 719.358.6220 or email us.

  3. Current Need: We are in need of grocery gift cards, tissue and toilet paper, paper towels, disinfectant wipes, and cleaning supplies.

  4. Advocacy: In difficult times like these, the people who are hurt the most are those people and families living on the edges of life. They are dependent on using public transportation to get to work, working at restaurants, event centers, and other places already seeing big decreases in business, thus losing what little economic stability they had.  Please use your voice to speak out on their behalf: to encourage friends and neighbors, to be generous and kind.  Remember that we are a community and as such we are stronger together even in the necessity of social distancing.

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Thank you for your continued support of Family Promise of Colorado Springs and families experiencing housing instability and homelessness.