An interview with Ken John, founder of Homeless Gear, a fund of the Community Foundation 
January 2010

Why did you establish this charitable fund?
My wife and I have had a family charitable fund with the Community Foundation for a number of years. When we were interested in starting a nonprofit agency to help the homeless, establishing the a fund at the Community Foundation seemed like a perfect way to begin. Without the structure and advantages provided by the Community Foundation, we would probably still be in the start-up phase!

Tell us about your fund and its purpose or focus. What would you like others to know about your fund?
Homeless Gear has a simple mission. We collect outdoor gear (sleeping bags, day packs, backpacks, etc.) and outdoor basic clothing (coats, boots, socks, hats, gloves) and hygiene products and distribute these items to the homeless and near homeless of Colorado. The homeless spend much of their time simply trying to survive the elements and finding a reasonable way to effectively transport and store the few belongings they have. We are re-distributing items that people (and businesses) are no longer using (or have in surplus) and providing them to people in need.

What services does the Community Foundation provide to you?
Partnering with the Community Foundation allows me to focus on our mission of helping the homeless while the Community Foundation team provides accounting, investment, and tax reporting functions. In addition, the Community Foundation helps us share our message and provides greater visibility throughout the community, provides the Homeless Gear program with 501c3 non profit status, and gives us guidance as we become more familiar with the grant writing process. In summary, the Community Foundation has always been there to help us fulfill our mission to help the homeless of Colorado.

Why would you encourage others to establish a charitable fund or learn more about the Community Foundation's vision and mission?
Establishing a charitable fund is much easier than you might think and will add structure and efficiency to the giving process. One of the tools that the Community Foundation provides -- DonorCentral -- allows fund advisors to quickly and efficiently research many area nonprofit agencies, issue grants, and track details about your fund .

What value does the Community Foundation bring to our region?
The Community Foundation encourages, promotes, and stimulates philanthropy in our community by providing the structure, services and support that might otherwise prevent many people and organizations from realizing their philanthropic goals.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with current and potential donors?
Did you know that the average age of a homeless person in Colorado is nine years old? Did you know that there are more than 700 children within the Poudre School District who have been identified as homeless? Homeless Gear recently launched our “Children In Need” program to specifically focus on the needs of homeless and near-homeless children and families. Homeless Gear is providing help and support to the homeless and near-homeless of all ages. The demand for the outdoor gear, clothing and hygiene products that we collect and distribute far exceeds our supply. With your help and support we can provide more of our area’s homeless with the essentials they need to deal with the elements. Please see our website at www.HomelessGear.com or contact Ken John (Ken@HomelessGear.com, 970-581-4921.)