FAQ

Hand Up serves motivated people who are homeless or are in danger of losing their homes. We strive to assist our participants in overcoming obstacles and preparing them for the world of employment.
Hand Up also serves local business with quality employees.

You can become a Hand Up participant by calling and making an appointment with Daniel Covey at 970.494.9700. During this appointment, you will have a chance to get your questions answered and there will be a short application.

Hand Up has a screening and education process that is intended to give people the necessary tools to be successful in gaining and maintaining employment. After completing an application participants begin to meet with their case manager weekly. Participants then create an individualized employment plan and make a commitment to the program and to staying sober. Participants voluntarily take drug and alcohol tests to verify their sobriety. Then participants begin taking classes that best apply to their situation. We offer classes in the following categories: Job preparation, stress tolerance/emotional regulation, computer classes, relapse prevention, and a class designed for people with a criminal background. After taking the classes, participants begin improving or creating a resume and working on their references. A background check is also completed. Participants then meet with a career transition counselor from the Workforce Center and take one additional class of their choosing. Following this, participants do a videotaped mock interview and then work with their counselor at the Workforce Center to improve on their skills. After this step participants will graduate from Hand Up and will begin a supported self paced job search. If, after some time, the participant is unable to gain employment, Hand Up will rely on our partnerships to help get the participant ‘in the door’ with an employer. Of course at the end of the day, it is the participant’s responsibility to get themselves a job and obviously the employer’s decision whether they would like to hire the participant.

• Hand Up has a thorough screening and education process to allowing participants to be job-ready and to compete for employment.
• We have found that the mentor is a powerful support service for our participants. Hand Up works with the participants to identify a mentor, someone who can be a good influence and support the participant towards success. Sometimes the mentor is someone from the employment site, other times it may be someone from the community.
• Hand Up provides ongoing training/counseling to both the mentor and the new employee.
• Hand Up provides ongoing case management to support the participants to be successful in the employment setting and supports their progress towards self sufficiency. Additionally, participants have access to ongoing supportive groups to help maintain sobriety if necessary.

There are many benefits for businesses to hire a Hand Up graduate.

• Pre-screened job applicants
• A source of “super motivated” job applicants
• A support team to work with the mentor and the new employee before and after the graduate is hired.
• Hand Up serves as the legal employer for the participant for the first nine months. We hold the liability, provide worker’s compensation and other necessary insurances and pay the employee’s salary. We ask that the employer merely pays the normal salary of the position plus 25% to cover our liability, case management and insurance.
• If there are any problems with the employee at any time, Hand Up will provide support to the employee and company to resolve the issue as quickly and efficiently as possible.
• Community Philanthropy combined with the routine task of filling job opportunities.
• Provides mentors with skills and training that might prove useful in other areas of the company
• Tax benefits for hiring job seekers most in need of employment.

Clearly helping participants to gain employment is a critical step, but in itself, is not enough to permanently escape the grip of homelessness. To help people achieve true self sufficiency we offer ongoing case management, supportive groups including relapse prevention groups, financial literacy and debt management classes, housing assistance (through referrals to community resources such as the Fort Collins Housing Authority, Neighbor to Neighbor, and Veteran’s Benefits), and assistance in finding appropriate and affordable housing and when eligible first month’s rent assistance (Via N2N).

• 89% of the people who have completed the program have obtained employment and made progress towards self sufficiency.
• Almost two thirds (63%) of our participants have either gained housing or avoided losing their housing as a direct result of working with the Hand Up Cooperative.
• More than one third (36%) of the participants that obtained employment represented families.

Hand Up is funded through a variety of sources including individual contribution, corporate contributions, and grants from foundations and organizations such as United Way of Larimer County.

• Make a Donation by sending a check to 242 Conifer St. Fort Collins CO 80524. Please make the check out to: United Way of Larimer County with Hand Up Cooperative in the memo line.
• Hire a Graduate by contacting Daniel Covey at dcovey@handupcooperative.org
• Volunteer by contacting Daniel Covey at dcovey@handupcooperative.org
• Teaching
• Become a Mentor
• Help out with an event
• Take a Tour and Meet the Staff by contacting Daniel Covey