Red Cross Emergency shelter/vouchers

Jim and All included,

I am reaching out pertaining to Jim authorizing a Red Cross shelter to be initiated for the city of Loveland’s homeless community of 500 to 800 persons, families, youth and disabled.

I have reached out to multiple churches who do have an interest in the potential for opening as a Red Cross shelter. This morning I called again to the Red Cross as I have not received a call back they have forwarded me to the national manager to return my call pertaining to getting a shelter opened immediately. I will update you as soon as I receive a call back from them.

I am greatly concerned over the fact that many have been still forced to sleep outside in these inclement weather days and nights. There are many availabilities throughout our city with regards to hotels motels and we have been checking those availabilities daily. I understand that some vouchers have been released and issued many of which were extended through today, however, there are many who are not being given a voucher and being told that there are no more vouchers available.

Many were put on waitlist others were banned for several days and up to 30 days reported. They are forced to sleep in these extreme conditions despite what we were informed that even those who were banned unless they posed an actual safety threat would be permitted to stay inside of the shelter.

It was also reported that anywhere from 10 to 15 men were still being forced to sleep in the summer tents out back of lrc with no heat this week. Alison Hade assured me and stated to Jim that was going to not occur. I have serious concerns about the well-being of this community and how we can get communication to all of our homeless community members. This is an emergency and it needs to be treated as one.

The mis and disinformation being relayed back and forth between parties has to stop now! This is why I requested a meeting with all heads so that we could come up with a strategic plan together that would work for everybody. We need immediate action to save lives in this community. For persons who are not being given a voucher when we have open rooms available at local motels any and all funds that we are having to Shell out personally for these rooms to be made available to the people who need them to save their life we will be presenting a bill to the city of Loveland for those rooms and storage costs with a full expectation of compensation.

Again I will ask for immediate action to be taken on this issue in our community it requires your cooperation and full attention.

Jen Castañeda
Loveland Justice League
For The Love Project
Let Us Vote Loveland
Camp Hope Loveland