Castle Rock Senior Center

Part-Time Transportation Dispatcher
A grant was awarded to the Castle Rock Senior Center (CRSC) to subsidize the cost of hiring a part-time transportation dispatcher to coordinate the Center's transportation program. The dispatcher will coordinate transportation services provided through the Center for seniors and residents having a disability within the CRSC service area which consists of the communities of: Castle Rock, Castle Pines, Sedalia, Louviers, Larkspur, Franktown and other rural areas of the county. The shuttle service provided by the CRSC is available to those who cannot drive or transport themselves to destinations necessary for them to continue to live an independent lifestyle.

Volunteer Coordinator

Funds will be granted to the CRSC to partially fund a position to plan and coordinate senior-center activities and volunteers.  This position will allow the CRSC to continue to expand services currently offered to senior residents of Douglas County, while also providing volunteer opportunities for seniors benefiting both the CRSC, and the Douglas County community.

Contact: Terry Shipley at 303-688-9498

Emergency and Transitional Housing

Funding will be provided to the Douglas/Elbert Task Force to assist them in providing emergency housing assistance for households at risk of becoming homeless due to eviction notices or other circumstances. The Task Force provides a one-time partial mortgage or rent payment to individuals and families with the proper documentation.  In most cases, payments are limited to $250.00 depending upon the situation.  Task Force counselors also act as advocates for the clients with landlords and lending institutions. 

Through this program, the Task Force also provides overnight lodging to the homeless, transients, and victims of crime.  Lodging is usually limited to two nights in a motel.  The Task Force works with both the Douglas County Sheriff's Office and the Castle Rock Police Department to provide this assistance on a 24-hour basis.

Contact: Suzanne Greene at 303-688-1114

Audio Information Network of the Rockies

A grant was awarded to the Audio Information Network (AIN) of Colorado to provide audio services for blind, visually impaired and print disabled residents, allowing them access to local newspapers, ad circulars, magazines and other ink materials. AIN clients will be provided with equipment such as pre-tuned receivers, MP3 players and speaker telephones, and program schedules available in large print, Braille, tape and CD formats. These funds will also be used for Douglas County news broadcasting, including news from the Douglas County News Press, the Lone Tree Voice, the Highlands Ranch Herald and the Parker Chronicle. Lacking information about one's community is isolating. AIN provides listeners with a variety of publications to choose from thus helping clients maintain their sense of independence.

Contact: Kim Ann Wardlow at 303-786-7777 x112

Firehouse Quilts of Colorado

A grant of $5,000 was awarded to the Firehouse Quilts of Colorado to purchase quilt supplies allowing volunteers to make snuggle quilts Douglas/Elbert Task Force clients' children and twin quilts for the Women's Crisis and Family Outreach Center clients. This project provides quilts to low- and moderate-income qualified parents and children through these partnering agencies allowing them to have a personal item of comfort to keep. An item that hopefully serves as a reminder of the caring community that stands by ready to support them.

Contact: Dusty Darrah at 303-683-6455

Douglas County Youth Initiative

A grant was awarded to the Douglas County Youth Initiative to hire a facilitator for the WrapArounD program, which was originally created to reduce program costs to local jurisdictions by preventing the need for out-of-home placements or incarceration by keeping children with their families. This collaborative project was formed between Douglas County government, the Douglas County School District, the City of Lone Tree and the Towns of Castle Rock and Parker. WrapArounD’s mission is to help families with school-aged children solve complex family problems in order to keep the family intact. Families are referred to the program by word-of-mouth, law enforcement, the courts or private therapists. One program goal is to stabilize the family and move them toward self-sufficiency.

The hallmark of the program is to form a WrapArounD Family Team - a group of problem solvers made up of family members, a Wrap facilitator, and professionals, such as therapists or doctors. Each Team is to create a Wrap Family Action Plan, essentially a problem-solving and treatment plan to move the family forward. The Wrap facilitator assists with locating additional community resources and acts as an advocate when needed.

Contact: Carla Turner at 303-688-4827 x5327

Hand Up Mortgage Assistance

A grant was awarded to the Douglas County Human Services Department for mortgage assistance. The grant will be used to expand the services provided by the Hand Up Program, created in 2008 by Douglas County staff and members of the Homeless Prevention Coalition. The mission of the Hand Up Program is to help families in crisis situations avoid homelessness and become self-sufficient. The grant monies will be used for up to three-month mortgage assistance, specifically to prevent foreclosure. This will be the only program in Douglas County that is able to provide substantial assistance to prevent foreclosure and help stabilize families in such a manner. These services will be provided on an as-needed basis to families who request assistance through the County Human Services and local non-profit organizations.

Contact: Valerie Robson at 303-688-4828