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Broomfield awards $100K to help FISH clients - Broomfield Enterprise

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Broomfield City Council voted unanimously to award $100,000 to Broomfield FISH — money that is not directly tied to CARES Act funds, but was made available because of federal reimbursements.

That money will go toward preventing evictions, putting food on tables and keeping lights and heat on, FISH Executive Director Dayna Scott said.

Dan Casey, Director of Health and Human Services, said FISH has six months to spend that money. It is separate from mill money the city and county annually awards to nonprofit agencies, in or around Broomfield, that fill a health or human services need to Broomfield residents.

This year that fund is about $1.5 million, he said, and applications are currently under review.

They are expected to be distributed in January, Casey said. At that time, if any grant is more than $75,000, it requires council approval.

City council identified housing-related initiatives in 2021 as a council priority. This $100,000 donation to FISH is made to provide for the community’s most vulnerable residents who have been impacted by COVID-19, Casey said, and as a result was given to FISH, the only nonprofit that operates as a food bank and Family Resource Center.

Of the amount, $20,000 will go toward preventing hunger; $40,000 for emergency financial assistance; $30,000 for keeping families housed through direct rent assistance and $10,000 for the emergency hotel voucher program.

FISH Executive Director Dayna Scott said in October the nonprofit gave out more than $60,000 in direct rent assistance; purchased more than $30,000 in food and gave out $8,000 in other emergency financial assistance, which equates to about $98,000.

Scott said she is awestruck — not every month has been like October, she said, but the need is increasing.

“I am praying, and hopeful, that this will ease up in 2021,” she said, “but for right now the need is just profound and we — the board and staff — are basically perusing any and all funding opportunities to make sure we can keep serving everyone.”

Last year FISH applied for $200,000 in grants through the city’s process and received $108,000. This year they likewise applied for $200,000. In the application, Scott said they included statistics they’ve gathered over the past eight months.

The need during the pandemic is staggering, she said. The only requirement to receive food is being a Broomfield resident, she said. Those who come from another county are given food along with a list of food pantries in their county and referrals on how to apply for benefits in their county.

Rent and utility assistance programs have different thresholds to receive assistance, she said, and FISH has become the first place Broomfield sends people seeking help. Nonprofit staff help screen those residents to determine which program best fits their needs. In some cases they are sent back to the city, she said, which historically has had stricter guidelines than FISH.

Currently the nonprofit serves individuals and families making at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines. FISH used to have a sustainability piece (asking residents prove they could pay for rent the following month) that has since been waived because “very few people can prove sustainablity right now,” Scott said.

Thankfully the nonprofit is starting to see people recover, she said, citing a person who works in construction as an example. During the pandemic work was difficult, but has since been picking up.

“It used to be that temporary crises were driving a lot of the need,” Scott said. “Now it’s chronic need due to sustained unemployment and health issues because of COVID.”

Since September, FISH has been able to use state Department of Local Affairs emergency housing assistance funding through the CARES Act. She said it is for people who can prove loss of income and inability to pay rent directly due to COVID.”

In 2020, a single person is considered below the federal poverty guidelines (or 100%) if they make $12,760, she said, so to receive FISH assistance that figure is just more than $25,000 in annual income.

For a family of four it would be closer to more than $52,400, she said.

Since the start of the pandemic, FISH has seen the need for food double and the need for emergency housing assistance increase five-fold, according to the city. Currently, FISH is helping up to 1,200 families, distributing 150,000 pounds of food, and providing over $50,000 in direct emergency rental and utility assistance each month. In 2021, they anticipate serving more than 12,000 unduplicated Broomfield residents.

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