Description
enefits in Action (BIA), a nonprofit organization offering services to help improve the lives of individuals in Colorado. We just opened our office in Colorado Springs and are starting to provide some new COS programming. While BIA is an organization that provides compassionate, personalized, no-cost public benefit navigation, we do offer some additional programming. We are excited to say we will establish a Safe Parking Program in Colorado Springs. BIA will utilize the Colorado Safe Parking Initiative’s model to help provide intentional space and resources for individuals sheltering in their vehicles.
We plan to have three safe parking lots in Colorado Springs by the end of the year, with our first parking lot running by this summer. We understand that we are new to the area. We aim to create a safe parking advisory board to ensure that our safe parking program effectively services individuals in Colorado Springs.
This safe parking advisory board has five goals:
Ensure services provided meet community needs and are informed by culturally competent individuals.
Provide direct client support (e.g., providing hygiene kits, first/last month rent, motel vouchers for medical appointments, providing car repairs, etc.) prior to a safe parking lot opening, and ensure support provided addresses community needs.
We want to incorporate community input to inform items provided in hygiene kits.
Identify community organizations to act as potential safe parking partners.
Highlight locations in COS with the most significant need for safe parking lots.
Offer our safe parking lot to unhoused individuals living in their cars.
Joining our advisory board does not obligate you, nor your organization, to additional commitments. We do not require you to share your resources, staff, or money. Benefits in Action has already allocated funding and staff to the safe parking endeavor. We only ask individuals participating in the Safe Parking Advisory Board to share their time, knowledge, expertise, and community connections.