Building Relationships
Survival Support
Case Management
Assistance Referrals
contact
- Warmline*: 719-588-4566
- M-F: 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM
- 909 State Ave. | Alamosa, CO 81101
- [email protected]
Warmline
Number
You can call or text our warmline, which is monitored by staff daily. We are most responsive M-F during business hours and will return your call/text as soon as possible.
Línea de
Calidad
Tenemos un miembro de personal (Matias) que habla Español y Qan’jobal. Para conectar con Street Outreach, por favor mande texto o llame nuestro línea de calidad para su idioma preferible para dirigir tu solicitud a Matias.
HIDDEN
Unsheltered community members face a variety of challenges. While much attention is rightly paid to the dangers of being outside during the San Luis Valley’s severe winters, being unsheltered can also make it more difficult to address basic needs ranging from food and hygiene to medical concerns, let alone navigating the housing process. The role of Street Outreach is to foster connections and to help individuals and families begin to engage with resources both within La Puente and within the greater community. However, all of this begins with establishing relationships based on genuine interest in and concern for the people with whom we work.
How to Find Us - TRUCK
- Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays: look for our Street Outreach truck at St. Benedict’s encampment!
- Tuesdays and Thursdays: we try to drive around Safeway, City Market, Walmart and other high traffic places.
- If you need our services and see us drive by, please wave us down!
- The truck is typically supplied with water, high protein food, some survival supplies (please tell us any specific requests and we will see what we can do), and basic clothing.
- We also have a charging station in our truck and are willing to charge your power bank, cell phone, or other electronic devices.
How to Find Us - OFFICE
- Our office is located north of the shelter at 909 State Ave…we are in the one story house with the chain link fence!
- Come by to say hi, we are dog friendly, and we usually have coffee!
- We have a ton of supplies at our office. Dependent on donations we usually have tents, blankets or sleeping bags, tarps, batteries, and some bike supplies. We sometimes even have quarters for the laundromat!
Supplies
We always have:
- High protein food
- Canned food (beans, soup, tuna, chicken)
- Water
It depends on donations so we can’t guarantee availability, but we often have*:
- Hygiene supplies (shampoo, soap, razors, toothpaste)
- Limited bike supplies (sealant and bike tubes)
- Clothing (shoes, jackets, socks, underwear, and shirts)
- Warm weather gear (blankets, hot hands, gloves, and beanies)
- Small green propane cans
- Large propane tank refills**
- Tarps and tents**
**We can only supply tents once every six months and can only provide large propane tank refills once a month during the winter months. For these items, we will log your name and the date to keep track of when you are eligible for another tent/refill.
Case Management
- ID assistance
- Housing applications
- Benefit applications
- Bike applications
- Referrals to behavioral health
- Individualized goal setting
- Advocacy!
- Transportation to appointments (if we have available staff)
Why do we need Street Outreach?
Unsheltered community members face a variety of challenges. While much attention is rightly paid to the dangers of being outside during the San Luis Valley’s severe winters, being unsheltered can also make it more difficult to address basic needs ranging from food and hygiene to medical concerns, let alone navigating the housing process. The role of Street Outreach is to foster connections and to help individuals and families begin to engage with resources both within La Puente and within the greater community. However, all of this begins with establishing relationships based on genuine interest in and concern for the people with whom we work.
How do we meet the need?
Street Outreach goes to unsheltered members of our community where they are… and wherever they are in their journey toward stability.
Aiding individuals in accessing the resources they need is simple in theory yet more complex in practice. It is easy to make promises to those in need, but the detail-oriented work of navigating bureaucracy can feel discouraging for individuals who do not have a reliable phone number or a straightforward method for keeping track of ID or other important documents. These difficulties are compounded by the reality that many individuals have been promised help before and have often been let down.
Such obstacles are one reason why Street Outreach focuses first and foremost on relationship building; the trust built between Street Outreach and clients is what we lean on together when setbacks occur. Like any relationship, this process takes time, sincerity, and consistency. The Street Outreach Team sees people as people first, and we find that doing so naturally leads to individuals seeking out and taking responsibility for the longer-term support and goal-setting they may need or desire. In 2024, Street Outreach case mangers were able to help nearly 25% of our unsheltered client population into housing.
The Street Outreach team utilize the following objectives and activities to maintain program goals:
- Relationship building Community Outreach (providing the education that can lead to awareness and involvement)
- Supplies Distribution
- Creating a safe space for individuals to feel confident enough to express their needs and offer their skills
- Resource Connection
- Creating and building upon partnerships with external organizations and local community members
- Bridging service gaps
What can I do to help?
1. Donate goods!
Our clients are constantly in need of warm clothing, unperishable foods, and seasonal camping gear. We update our PDF needs list on a quarterly basis and our Amazon Wish List on an as-needed basis! You can find our needs lists by clicking HERE.
2. Lend a hand!
We invite folks to join us when we hand out supplies. If interested in serving, please contact La Puente’s Volunteer Coordination office at 719-587-3499 for more information. Alternatively, you can click HERE to go to our volunteer page and application form!
3. Give Financially!
We welcome any and all monetary donations as well to better serve clients. To donate financially, you can click HERE and designate your gift to Street Outreach. Street Outreach is eligible for a 30% HCTC Tax Credit in the State of Colorado!