Fort Collins Rescue Mission is asking the public for help to raise the remaining funds it needs to build a new 24/7 shelter for men experiencing homelessness.
The organization officially launched the "More Than..." capital campaign last week. They need just over $3 million to meet their goal. As of the launch Friday, the Mission raised about $24 million through a mix of local, state, and foundation grants, and private donors.
The new 38,000 square foot Homeless Resolution Center will be located in north Fort Collins on Mason Street near the intersection of North College Avenue and Hibdon Court. It will have 250 beds, a day center, and space for case management services.
"We've always struggled with the capacity to do the work that we really feel like Fort Collins deserves through our current building," Seth Forwood with Fort Collins Rescue Mission said.
Forwood is the Vice President of Programs in Northern Colorado. He said the new center will be "transformational" for the community.
"We can grow our shelter capacity as Fort Collins grows but also inject the building with resources so that more people are exiting homelessness," he said.
When it opens, the center will be the city's first proper day center. The building is being designed in a way that Forwood calls "trauma informed."
"When someone steps foot inside the door they can kind of see what to expect in the rest of the building and there's no blind corners or unlit places that cause anxiety," he said.
The new shelter has faced pushback from nearby residents and business owners.
The city cleared the project last fall after rejecting appeals from two residents over the Planning and Zoning Commission's approval. Some city council members expressed reservations about how the new shelter would impact the surrounding community. Ultimately council voted unanimously in favor of the plan.
Forwood said site selection was primarily guided by the city's homelessness advisory committee. North Fort Collins was identified as the most advantageous for its proximity to other providers and transit options.
Groundbreaking on the new shelter is expected later this year.
