GRATEFUL AND BLESSED BEYOND MEASURE! Our 18th annual distribution of backpacks and supplies was another success. We distributed over 300 backpacks and had over 500 individuals join us for food, fun, & entertainment.

As we all know, none of this is possible without the generosity of our community of donors, including but not limited to, Houska Automotive Service, Inc. @HeartoftheRockiesChristianChurch @New Belgium Brewing - Fort Collins Odell Brewing Co who ran a school supplies donation drive for us Vindeket Foods who provided the food and snacks that were placed in bags for distribution at the event @Uniquethelocd_barber (Regions of Hair) who provided free haircuts @Target (Glendale, CO Location) who provided a variety of school supplies (including the binders that were distributed at the event) Bank of America (Ms. Talina Hernandez, Ms. Melody McArthur, Ms. Alondra Miramontes, and Ms. Breanna Skeets from the Longmont, CO location) who ran school supplies donation drive for us.

The backbone of implementing what we do, VOLUNTEERS @OurSavioursLutheranChurch Alianza NORCO @AssociationforPreventionofSuicide Yarrow Collective: Peers of Larimer @MENSGRIEFSUPPORT (Tony Lynch) @ASP_Larimer and @RotaryFortCollinsBreakfast Lauren K Brainard, Jen Deines, David & Lisa Dunne, Mrs. Mary Catherine Limbird, Ms. Michele Marquitz, Mr. Lynn Robert Matson, Mr. Chuck Rutenberg, Ms. Catherine & Ms. Lee Varra-Nelson, A big shout out to Nizhoni with Alianza NORCO, Lauren & Kelsie and Franz Quiñones with United Way of Larimer County for holding down the check-in station and photography, respectively, Mujeres de Colores members of the board Betty Aragon @Karen Wong-Brown, @Vanessa Jimenez (Lozano), and Grace Moreno along with Mujeres’ volunteers @David Mitotes Frida Whaley, @Kowalski.Frankie @AlfredaWhaley Teresa & Juan Gonzales, @Carmen Duron and her family, Grace’s family (Francisco, Monica, Michelle, Scott & Nico),, Susan Baniqued, along with many, many others who came out to support our community.

We had performances by @Quetzalcoatl Trupo de Danza, FOCO Flava, live music by Robert G!, @boredomfightersfoundation (Fort Collins Branch) with their Instrument Garden, @uniquelocd_barber (Regions of Hair), Storytellers Chuck Solano and Christinia Eala.

We likely missed mentioning someone and in advance we request you pardon the oversight and contact us so we can make it right.. We were overwhelmed with the support but please rest assured that we thank you ALL from the bottom of our hearts!

And finally, a personal thank you to @Ernan Torrez for his exceptional planning skills and one and all of our Community Impact Center (CIC) partners who sat through all the meetings, discussions, back & forth, etc. to make this joint event a reality @UWAYLC @RMEQUALITY (Fort Collins) @UNIFIEDWORKFORCE @TIYOSPAYEWINYANMAKA @QUEENSLEGACYFOUNDATIONPR

Thank you, Abigail The Coloradoan, and please check out her reel about our event at

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNYh4xApHy0/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

OR -

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNYh4xApHy0/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==https://www.facebook.com/Coloradoan

Photos courtesy of: Ernan Torrez, Franz Quiñones, and Richard (@Zebrajellyfish Photography LLC)