PSD and Community Support
Numerous resources and services are available to families in Northern Colorado. You'll find several Poudre School District support resources and community crisis services highlighted in the green boxes on the right. Links to community organizations and additional services are listed below.
Resources
NoCo Community Resource Guide
Not sure what you may need or who can help? Being well-resourced in basic needs, such as food, clothing and housing, all support mental well-being. This guide has information to help find programs to support basic needs, as well as crisis counseling, substance use and abuse. PSD is sharing this guide as a community service; making it publicly available does not constitute an endorsement of any business, organization, or resource.
Another option - call United Way 211, the 24/7 go-to resource that helps people across the U.S. and Canada, find the local resources they need.
Childcare Assistance
- AlphaBest - Before- and after-school childcare service at PSD schools
Child Protection Resources and Hotline
- Larimer County Child Protection Services
- The Hub - For reports of child/adult abuse or neglect. Provides resources and intervention for youth (ages 0-17) and families struggling with a variety of circumstances.
- Colorado Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline - Call 844-CO-4-Kids; Available 24 hours a day, every day. Don't hesitate to call and get help.
- Anyone witnessing a child in a life-threatening situation should call 911 immediately.
Community Services
- United Way - Get Help
- Colorado PEAK - Online service to apply for medical, food, cash, and early childhood assistance programs
- Larimer County Human Services:
- Children, Youth and Family Services
- Adolescent Services
- Larimer County Public Benefits - Programs:
- Food Assistance
- Health First Colorado
- Cash and Employment Assistance
- Child Care Assistance Program
- Aid to the Needy Disabled
- Medicare Savings Program
- Old Age Pension
Utilities:
- One-time bill payment assistance:
- Catholic Charities Larimer County, 970-484-5010
- The Family Center/La Familia, 970-221-1615
- Goodwill of Colorado, 888-775-5327
- City of Fort Collins Utilities, to set up a payment arrangement: call 970-212-2900 or email utilities@fcgov.com or visit fcgov.com/utilities-affordability
- If you need help finding resources: 2-1-1 Local Resource Referral Line
Enrichment - Reduced-Fee or Free Activities and Resources
City Reduced-fee program for Family Activities: The City of Fort Collins offers a reduced fee program for qualified families to purchase passes and pay for activities (community centers, pools, Recreator activities, sports teams) at a significantly reduced price. Families who qualify for Poudre School District’s free or reduced meals program are eligible for the city’s reduced-fee activities program by submitting their PSD free or reduced meals notification letter from the current school year. Families who did not keep their original PSD eligibility letter may get a replacement letter by contacting Linda Graham, PSD Child Nutrition office manager, at 970-490-3568 or lgraham@psdschools.org. Learn more about the program and how to apply on the city’s Reduced Fee Program web page.
- Poudre River Library District
- Free newspaper subscription with user name and password (Poudre) to the Denver Post, Boulder Daily Camera, Longmont Times-Call and Loveland Reporter-Herald. Digital publications also include Kid Scoop (ages 4 to 8) on Mondays, Colorado Kids (ages 8 to 14) on Tuesdays and Mini Page (ages 4 to 8) on Wednesdays.
- The Musée du Louvre, Paris, France - Free virtual tours
- The Solomon R. Guggenheim, New York, New York - Online collection includes a searchable database of approximately 8,000 artworks.
- The National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. - Virtual tours and online learning opportunities
- The British Museum, London, United Kingdom
- Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C.
Food
Gun Safety
Unfortunately, Larimer County is not immune to gun violence or its permanent impact on our youth. We have lost too many young people in our community. In 2019, a county coalition came together with the intention of reducing risk and enhancing our community’s safety.
The Juvenile Gun Safety Coalition and “It Only Takes a Moment” campaign involve many partner
organizations representing the areas of law enforcement, mental health, education, suicide prevention and more. PSD is part of this group and offers resources through the coalition’s site to support our staff, students, families and communities.
What is the campaign’s focus?
- Responsible gun ownership and safe handling and storage of firearms
- Encouraging students to report concerning behavior or guns in schools using tools like Safe2Tell
- Working with youth in the community justice system who have been involved in gun-related incidents. Learn more about one of the initiatives that came out of this campaign: "It Only Takes a Moment" - Impact of Crime Class.
Learn more:
- Get free gun locks and access resources on the Larimer County Juvenile Gun Safety web page.
- Video - Safe Gun Storage Stops Crime video on YouTube (Juvenile Gun Safety Coalition, 2019)
- Video - It Only Takes a Moment video on YouTube (Juvenile Gun Safety Coalition, 2021)
Homelessness Resources
- Murphy Center for Hope
- Homeward Alliance (in partnership with the Family Center/La Familia, Fuerza Latina and the Family Housing Network, provides services through the Camino a Casa Collective).
- McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Services in PSD
- McBackpack - Weekend food assistance for students and their families
- Family Housing Network
- Meals for Kids
- For help finding resources: Call the 2-1-1 Resource Referral Line
Mental Health Support
- PSD Mental Health Services, Resources
- Safe2Tell - Anonymously report anything that concerns or threatens you, your friends, your family or your community; Open 24/7 to take reports.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline - If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available - call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
- I Matter - Colorado youth are eligible for free therapy sessions. Visit the I Matter platform to take a confidential online survey about their mental health and schedule sessions with a licensed behavioral health clinician, primarily online over telehealth. State law allows youth ages 12 and up to use the platform independently; youth ages 11 and younger will need their parent or guardian's consent to sign up. Learn more on the I Matter website.
- Connections, Adult Services
- SummitStone Community Crisis Center: 1 -844 - 493-TALK (8255)
- Colorado Spirit Warm-Line: (970) 221-5551
- Child, Adolescent and Young Adult Connections
- Colorado Crisis Services
- The Center for Family Outreach - Visit their website to see the latest upcoming free parenting classes and workshops.
- UC Health Behavioral Health Services (including virtual programs)
Technical Assistance and Videos
Service providers: Internet Access
PSD tech help:
Poudre River Library tech support videos:
Español videos -
- Español - ParentVUE
- Español - Google Classroom
- Español - Gmail Accounts
- Español - MS Teams
- Español - How to setup Laptops & MiFis
- Español - Installing Zoom
- Español - PSD Tools Webinar recording
English videos -