Founded upon the Judeo-Christian commitment of ministry to those in need, LiftUp provides charitable assistance, without discrimination, to meet basic human needs, while fostering self-sufficiency.
Do you know what LiftUp stands for?
Life’s Inter-Faith Team against Unemployment and Poverty.
We were founded upon the Judeo-Christian ministry to those in need … In 1996, LiftUp was created as a grassroots 501(c)(3) to serve as an arm of the Routt County Christian Ministerial Association to serve those neighbors in need. Although Routt County has changed, and so has our organization, our vision & mission still honor our founders.
Still today, we believe...
Through this consistent lens of service, we have a vision for EVERYONE TO THRIVE WHERE THEY LIVE. We are all so blessed to live in Routt County, and the beauty that surrounds us shouldn’t be limited to only those that are financially stable. Beauty does not discriminate, and we believe that we should all be able to thrive here.
We are also keenly aware that Routt County has economic challenges that can be masked by our beautiful surroundings.
In Routt County, 11% of our neighbors live in poverty. Routt County had diverse social makeup with the inclusion of Steamboat, West Routt, and South Routt communities. Hayden (14%) and Oak Creek (unpublished) have higher rates of poverty than Steamboat or greater Colorado.
Steamboat has 10% poverty impact and they are also burdened with Income Inequality. Income Inequality is a leading indicator of financial stresses on a community. (to learn more about the impact of Income Inequality, click here.)
Steamboat Springs is ranked #2 in the state of Colorado for Income Inequality (#17 out of 916 US cities). While the top 1% of the Steamboat population makes $2,507,070, the remaining 99% average $71,006. That gap creates a higher cost of living that the majority of residents can’t afford.
THIS IS WHERE WE MEET OUR NEIGHBORS. Those that find themselves in a struggle to continue living here … looking for a way to thrive. We can help LIFT them UP out of their struggle. TOGETHER, WE CAN ALL THRIVE RIGHT HERE IN ROUTT COUNTY. Here are just a few stories of our beautiful neighbors who asked for help:
MEET JOSIE
Josie is a 6-year-old girl living here in Routt County. She is beautiful, kind, and courageous … but she lives in hunger every day. While most kids her age eat 21 meals and 14 snacks each week, Josie only gets 4 meals … she has school 4 days per week and relies solely on their Free Lunch Program. Because of LiftUp’s Rocket Pack program, she now gets 6 snacks a day to give her more nutrition and energy. Learn how you can feed hungry kids in Routt County.
MEET SARA
Sara’s husband left her and her 3 kids last year. Since then, she’s been working 2 jobs to keep her family afloat. Through LiftUp's utility program, Sara was able to pay her heat bill, keep the heat on, and spare her kids from Rocky Mountain cold winter weather. Learn how you can help neighbors in crisis.
MEET JOE
Joe grew up in poverty and worked tirelessly to end the cycle for his family. He worked hard to support his wife and 3 kids, but with rising costs of living and only a high school education, he just couldn’t seem to get ahead financially. LiftUp’s Hope for the Future scholarship gave Joe the opportunity to go back to school for welding. Learn how you can help your neighbors on their path from survive to thrive.
Every day, we see how much money can impact one’s life, so we are acutely aware of the importance of all of our funds. We take great care in ensuring all income is used efficiently so that we can pour as much as possible right back into the community. Take a look at our financials to get a feel for our financial stewardship; you can find them on Guidestar
2016 Annual Snapshot
2017 Annual Snapshot
2018 Annual Snapshot
If you’re looking for our 990, please check out www.guidestar.com.
Our non-profit is governed by a 12-15 member Board of Directors that represents several community entities, including several faith organizations. The Board of Directors hires and supervises an executive director to carry out and manage the daily aspects of the organization.
Ted Atkinson
President
Diana Sperry
Vice President
Kathy Iversen
Secretary
Erik Petersen
Treasurer
Father Ernest Bayer
Troy Lewis
Barb Parnell
Bart Kounovsky
Chris Rapp
Bill Watkins
Bette Carlson
Bob Schuellein
Dr. Diana Hornung
