TRI LAKES CARES
Helping the community one client at a time
Learn how to support this organization
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
The problem that we address is dealing with poverty in an affluent area and our response to reach out and identify those in need. We try to foster community awareness through advertising, social media, our website and various community events.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Client Service Programs
Tri-Lakes Cares offers a wide variety of services, serving northern El Paso County in Colorado. As the only human services organization and food pantry located in and serving our service area, we attempt to provide "one-stop shopping for our clients, providing as many services as possible in a single location. These services include, but are not limited to, food, medical program and Neighborhood Nurse Center, mental health counseling, school supplies, holiday food baskest and gifts to youth and seniors during the holiday season. Other services provided are rental or mortgage payment assistance to prevent eviction and utilities assistance to keep the heat and the lights on. Self-sufficiency classes, assistance with post-secondary education tuition, budget counseling and other opportunities are also made available. A more detailed description of some of our programs can be found in sections below.
Food Programs - Pantry
Tri-Lakes Cares offers an array of food programs to ensure that no resident in northern El Paso County of Colorado. In some cases, residents of extreme southern Douglas County may also access the food programs.
These food programs include The Market, where clients can shop for their own groceries; the pantry for special requests; the Snack Pack program for children; November and December Holiday food programs and food for the homeless.
Medical Assistance
Tri-Lakes Cares, in partnership with Penrose-St. Franics Health Services (CommonSpirit), offers a free medical program and nurse care for the un- or underinsured through the Neighborhood Nurse Center. Many times, individuals may find themselves between insurance providers, unable to access a local provider or face expensive deductibles or co-pays. In addition, they may not have the resources needed to purchase life-saving and/or quality of life enhancing prescriptions and over the counter medications. Often a decision needs to be made between paying for a needed prescription or making sure the rent is paid. Our medical program helps to alleviate some of this stress. We house a nurse who meets with clients to address health needs and connects them with medical providers, vision and dental providers, mental health counseling providers, offers financial assistance for co-pays and prescriptions.
Housing (Rental) Assistance & Utilities Assistance
The primary service area in which Tri-Lakes Cares works is generally considered affluent and housing prices (both purchase and rental) tend to be high. However, there are pockets of poverty which include designated low-income and Section 8 housing. These families struggle to provide their most basic needs of food and shelter so when an unexpected financial emergency occurs, they may suddenly find themselves facing eviction and homelessness. Without any homeless shelters in the immediate area - homeless shelters are available in Colorado Springs (20 miles south) or Denver (50 miles north) these families could face further hardships if they become homeless.
We provide rental, mortgage and utilities financial assistance to individuals and families who live in our primary service area and meet eligibility requirements. By providing them with this assistance, they remain housed, children remain in school, health and mental health are not comprised and financial strain is relieved.
Self-Sufficiency Programs
As a board directive, Tri-Lakes Cares continues to work to provide more programming designed to help clients achieve self-sufficiency. This can mean many things to many people. In some cases, we provide financial assistance for post-secondary education tuition which can lead to becoming self-sufficient with access to better job opportunities. In other cases, we help with a car repair so an individual can get to their job thereby avoid applying for government assistance.
Our premier program - STABLe (Secrets to a Better Life) - is an 8-day program (held once a week for eight weeks), which helps explain resources, guides goal setting and social skills, to clients committed to understanding their situation and how to move towards a more self-sufficient life style. This program is held once per year, in the Spring.
Seasonal Programs
Recognizing the stresses associated with "Back to School" and the Holiday Season, Tri-Lakes Cares strives to relieve those stressors through our seasonal programs.
Every year, partnering with local businesses and community partners, we host a "back to school" drive specific to our local area. New backpacks and new school supplies are collected and then distributed to clients to help alleviate the extra costs associated with getting children ready for school.
At Thanksgiving and the winter holidays, additional holiday-themed foods are offered to clients. This can include, but is not limited to, turkeys, yams, stuffing mixes, hams, tamale ingredients, pies and cakes.
In addition, during the winter holidays The Giving Tree program allows community members to make donations of requested gifts and/or gift cards from decorated trees at various locations. These are then provided to client families for children and for our senior clients.
Where we work
Awards
Nonprofit of the Year 2010
Tri-Lakes Chamber of Commerce
Nonprofit of the year 2012
Tri-Lakes Chamber of Commerce
Volunteer of the Year - Doug Pinney 2010
Tri-Lakes Chamber of Commerce
Volunteer of the Year - Jim Bergeron 2012
Tri-Lakes Chamber of Commerce
Top-Rated NonProfit 2017
Great Nonprofits
Nonprofit of the Year 2018
Tri-Lakes Chamber of Commerce
Top-Rated Nonprofit 2018
Great Nonprofits
Top-Rated Nonprofit 2019
Great Nonprofits
Top-Rated Nonprofit 2020
Great Nonprofits
Top-Rated Nonprofit 2021
Great Nonprofits
Top-Rated Nonprofit 2022
Great Nonprofits
Top-Rated Nonprofit 2023
Great Nonprofits
Affiliations & memberships
United Way Member Agency 2007
Empty Stocking Fund Partner Agency 2003
External reviews
Photos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of clients served
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Children and youth, Social and economic status
Related Program
Client Service Programs
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Represents unduplicated clients served through all client programs in the fiscal year.
Number of low-income households who have received rental assistance to prevent eviction and remain in their own homes.
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Children and youth, Social and economic status
Related Program
Housing (Rental) Assistance & Utilities Assistance
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Rental assistance is provided to prevent eviction from the home, thereby preventing homelessness. 2020 saw spike in those receiving financial assistance for housing needs due to COVID-19.
Number of seniors provided assistance to assist with independent living through support of the client service programs including but not limiited to food, financial assistance for rent, medical needs.
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Seniors
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Seniors are particularly vulnerable to financial fluctuations. Our client service programs help seniors to stay independent in their own homes. Numbers fluctuate due to seniors moving or passing on.
Average number of children, grades Preschool to 12th grade, who receive snack packs on weekends during the school year.
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Related Program
Food Programs - Pantry
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Children are those who are eligible for free or reduced breakfast and/or lunch at school and who are identified by their teachers or school counselors.
Total pounds (lbs) of food distributed through all food pantry programs.
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Children and youth, Social and economic status
Related Program
Food Programs - Pantry
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
After 2017, Number reflects total weight for all food programs: supplemental groceries, Help Yourself, Snack Pack, & holiday. Prior to 2017, it included weight for senior groceries & TEFAP.
Number of low-income households who have received utilities assistance to keep the lights, heat and water on in their homes.
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Children and youth, Social and economic status
Related Program
Housing (Rental) Assistance & Utilities Assistance
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Utilities assistance is provided to make sure the home is habitable for a household, as non-payment can lead to eviction and homelessness. 2020 showed an increase due to COVID-19.
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Ultimate Goal for Intended Impact: (ongoing and long term plans)
1. Providing well-rounded and diverse programs that focus on meeting basic necessities in times of need
2. Offering special relief programs that improves the quality of life
3. Giving opportunities to clients to participate in programs to help them work towards self-sufficiency
4. Using our financial resources in the most fiscally responsible way possible
5. Meeting our goal of "nimbleness" by developing programs and services to address the changing needs of our clients as determined by surveys, focus groups and open discussion between Case Managers, other staff and clients.
Target Population: We serve economically disadvantaged populations of northern El Paso County, Colorado. We primarily focus assistance on individuals and families who are at 50% of Area Median Income of poverty or less.
Needs We Are Addressing: food insecurity, medical access, education, financial assistance for things like rent, utilities, car repair, home repair, child care, prescriptions, post-secondary and so much more.
Expected Outcomes: Clients work directly with one of our Case Managers, who help guide them through immediate needs (for example food) while also introducing self-sufficiency program opportunities to encourage them to work on ways to achieve autonomy. Clients are strongly encouraged to follow through on the recommendations from their Case Managers to reach both short-term and long-term goals, ultimately transforming their lives for the better. Such goals may include attending the “Getting Ahead" workshop or a budgeting session to help understand their financial situation. The final and strongest expected Outcome is that a client and his/her life becomes financially stablized and no longer needs our services.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Strategies: On a regular basis our Needs Assessment committee conducts a Needs Assessment Study of our clients and community. The Board of Directors uses the findings from this research to guide us in our next long-term goals for the organization. We believe this is the best way to assess our effectiveness in meeting the needs of our community.
Approaches We Employ: Conducting a Needs Assessment study of our clients is a strategy that the board fully supports and believes that the data collected helps to guide us with future development of the organization and its programs. Should we discover that there is a significant unmet need by conducting such a study, we can refine our strategies to include addressing the new needs that we discover. This allows us to stay on top of current and relevant needs/issues of our clients.
Near-Term Activities: Personnel assessment of staff and key volunteer positions – ensure proper staffing in all areas. Ongoing recruitment of new volunteers to replace those lost at the onset of the pandemic and adding staff positions to address the influx of new client households. Using our client management programs to ensure that all data is captured for reporting and grant funding needs. Needs Assessment Committee uses this data to form conclusions on any changes we need to make as we move forward.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Resources, Capacities and Connections: Internal
Our board and staff is diverse in education, profession and experience allowing us to reach out to their knowledge and expertise in their respective fields for support. Our leadership is strong, consistent, committed and reliable. Our budget is well balanced, our cash reserve is appropriate for our size and our funding sources are diversified enough to feel safe in these unpredictable economic times. Our commitment to transparency and excellence continues to guide our nonprofit in the right direction of best practices in our industry. Our staff is well-trained and provided with professional development opportunities as well as educational opportunities to help understand poverty (such as Bridges Out of Poverty).
Resources, Capacities and Connections: External
Our strong partnerships with Pikes Peak United Way as one of their Partner Agencies, Care & Share Food Bank for Southern Colorado Partner Agency, Penrose-St. Francis Neighborhood Nurse Program, Tri-Lakes Chamber of Commerce, our membership with Colorado Nonprofit Association and other agencies like Employers Council as well as the continued commitment of our community allow us to be confident in our long-term ability to provide continued goods and services to those in need.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
This past year has been dedicated to our COVID response and ensuring that all client needs were met despite having to restructure the method of operation. Continuing to meet client needs was the highest priority and systems were devised to continue services within the scope of CDC recommendations. Case Managers reached out to elderly and other non-tech savvy clients to help them with the new processes. COVID related grants were obtained, many of which were restricted and required disbursement of the funds in a relatively short period of time. These were closely monitored to ensure full use of funds. A PPP loan, which was subsequently forgiven, was obtained to cover payroll for a short time. As operations return to normal during 2021, we anticipate returning to in-person communication with clients.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We share the feedback we received with the people we serve, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time, It is hard to come up with good questions to ask people, It is difficult to get honest feedback from the people we serve, It is difficult to identify actionable feedback
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
TRI LAKES CARES
Board of directorsas of 02/12/2024
Rich Schur
Owner/COO, Schur Success Group
Term: 2020 - 2025
Carol S Foster
Retired, Chief Accounting Officer, Property Mgmt Co
Mark Crespin
Asst VP, Business Banking, First National Bank of Monument
Kelly Epstein
Owner, Bundle Baby Diaper Service and Monarch Merchandising
Kim Anderson-Grigg
Sales Advisor, Bex Security
Shelly Ruedin
Retired
Indy Frazee
CEO, The Independence Center
Kelly McPherson
Partner, Knies, Helland & McPherson, Attorneys At Law
Mark Steinberg
Retired
Derek Wilson
Director of Development & Communications at Special Kids, Special Families
Benny Nasser
Retired
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
No data
Transgender Identity
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 02/12/2024GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.