Current Update
HAAT Force is not vouchering today. If you need immediate shelter, please try the Aurora Nagivation Campus.
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2024-25 Motel Vouchers
2024-25 Individuals Sheltered
What We Do
HAAT Force stands for Homelessness Awareness and Action Task Force
We offer severe weather shelter and resources for people who are unhoused in the South Metro Denver region.
Our History - Since 2010
In 2010, a group of individuals concerned about homelessness in the South Metro Denver area started to brainstorm about what they could do to address the issue. Click Read More below to learn more.
Read More about our history
Soon they convened a large gathering of representatives from local government agencies, nonprofits and faith communities to identify what services were currently being provided and what the gaps were. Severe weather shelter was identified as the most pressing need.
In the same year, in response to that meeting, HAAT Force – Homelessness Awareness and Action Task Force – was founded by Peter Reif, a member of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Highlands Ranch and Rev. Cammie Houpt, a Deacon at St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church in Centennial. HAAT Force’s founding mission was to provide life-sustaining severe weather motel vouchers to people experiencing homelessness in the South Metro Denver area. A Board of Directors was formed, in addition to a partnership with Giving Heart, a non-profit in Englewood. HAAT Force obtained its 501c3 status in 2012. Peter Reif passed away shortly after that, and Rev. Houpt continued her leadership of our organization until her retirement in 2020.
In 2020-2021, the all-volunteer Board of Directors managed HAAT Force’s operations. We organized and managed a continuous shelter program in response to the covid pandemic, in addition to a medical motel voucher program. We expanded our scope to include referrals to resource navigators. In 2021, HAAT Force hired Sienna McGrath a part-time Executive Director. HAAT Force recently added a Program Director and Severe Weather Assistant.
OUR IMPACT
Our goal for the 2024-2025 Severe Weather Season was to support individuals formerly served by Severe Weather Shelter Network (SWSN), our partner organization who suddenly closed their doors in August, and to continue to support clients who qualify for HAAT Force. We saw triple the need for sheltering due to the closure of SWSN and the continuing increase of people experiencing homeless in the Denver Metro area.
2024-25 Total Nights of Sheltering
%
2024-25 More Motel Vouchers
%
2024-25 Increase of Unique Individuals
Read more about our 2024-2025 impact
HAAT Force South Metro, founded in 2010, provides severe weather motel shelter for families and people with disabilities, medical issues or animals. Our guests include pregnant people ,non-gender conforming / transgender adults, and older adults who are unhoused. This program operates from October through April.
Our goal for the 2024-2025 Severe Weather Season was to support individuals formerly served by Severe Weather Shelter Network (SWSN), our partner organization who suddenly closed their doors in August, and to continue to support clients who qualify for HAAT Force. We saw triple the need for sheltering due to the closure of SWSN and the continuing increase of people experiencing homeless in the Denver Metro area.
In our 2024-2025 season, we issued 67% more motel vouchers and saw a 26% increase of unique individuals served compared to the 2023-2024 season. We provided 561 motel vouchers and served 212 unique individuals for 38 total nights of sheltering. We partnered with many community agencies that provided meals, snacks, financial support, and resource navigation to help our clients obtain additional assistance.
Click here for our end-of-season newsletter for 2024-2025 and a full story of our work.
2025-2026 Impact
Voucher Events
Nights of Shelter
Total Number of Clients Registered
Adults
Children
Dogs
Total Food Provided
Hot Meals
Frozen Meals
Breakfast Burritos
Snack Bags
Testimonials
“Please accept my gratitude for the warm dry nights you and your organization have so graciously bestowed upon me…it was wonderful being able to shower when I wanted and use the bathroom when I needed and to charge my phone or leave things and not worry about them disappearing. You guys are giving so much more than shelter from the elements with these rooms…you’re giving peace of mind and safety. It becomes exhausting being homeless…from the bottom of my heart thank you and God bless us all.”
“Receiving services from HAAT Force has been a blessing…Being homeless has many challenges, but being disabled while homeless has even more challenges. It is a daily struggle to do the normal functions like going to the bathroom, showering, etc. Additionally, it is a daily struggle to make sure that my health issues are taken care of. From filling my pill box to getting enough sleep, living in a tiny car with two other people is rough. I am so very grateful for HAAT Force because when we get a motel voucher I know that at least for one night, I will have a bed to sleep in, a bathroom close, and a nutritious meal.”
“Volunteering with HAAT Force gave me a first-hand experience with people experiencing homeless in our area. The most important thing I learned is that any of us could be living on the street if a few things don’t work like we had thought. Also I met so many kind, gracious people who were looking after their families and children as best they could, and who were so thankful for a hands up. The people we helped with vouchers taught us much about the world and our community.”
Donate to Make a Difference
What will my donation provide?
$70 will provide 1 night of shelter for an individual experiencing homelessness.
$2,400 will provide 30 nights of shelter for a family of 4.
$4000 will provide 40 rooms to shelter our clients for one night.
$50
$100
$250
$500
Other
Make a Donation
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HAAT Force Sheltering
HAAT Force will provide motel vouchers during severe weather from October through April of this winter season. Currently we can only shelter registered clients. Because of capacity, we do not have any registration events planned but will update our website when we do.
Who We Shelter
We provide severe weather motel vouchers to the following people who are unhoused:
Families with children 18 years of age and under- the child/children must be physically present during registration or you can provide information about the school that the child attends;
People with physical disabilities – a physical disability or medical condition that poses substantial risk of severe hardship in a congregate shelter setting, as evidenced by an obvious physical disability or medical condition, such as using a wheelchair, cane or walker, or you can provide written documentation, such as a disability determination letter or Benefit Verification Letter from the Social Security Administration;
People with pets or service animals – the animal must be physically present during registration;
Pregnant people – you should have an obvious physical sign of pregnancy or written documentation, such as a note from a licensed care provider or laboratory result;
People recently released from the hospital in need of a place to recover – you have been released in the previous 48 hours from a heath care facility for a condition that poses substantial risk of severe hardship in a congregate shelter setting; this requires discharge paperwork from a hospital or other care facility, or a bracelet issued by a care facility, with credible self-description of the health condition;
Age 65 or older, as evidenced by a government-issued ID, or written proof of receiving Colorado Old Age Pension, Social Security Retirement Benefit, or other age-based support, or observed sign of age-related disability, such as an obvious frailty
Non-gender conforming and transgender adults
Single adults
Severe Weather Criteria
- 32 degrees and lower and wet or 20 degrees and lower and dry conditions for 3 hours overnight. We voucher Monday – Friday based on weather.
- If the weekend qualifies for shelter, we will voucher on a Friday. It is important to check out hotline and website daily for updates.
Alternate Resources
Arapahoe County Housing Navigators – 303-738-8088
All Health Network Emergency Center – open 24 hours – 303-730-3303
All Heath Network – 5554 S. Prince, St., Littleton, 303-730-8858
Wellspring Church – 3885 S Broadway at West Mansfield – Sundays at 11 AM – optional church service, hot meals, food pantry, free medical care and other community resources.
Life Center in Littleton – 303-233-0623
Waiting List Registration coming soon
Who We Are
Our Staff
Julie Hall
Program Director
jhall@haatforce.org
Tiffany Harper
Weather Shelter Assistant
tharper@haatforce.org
Amber Martin
Weather Shelter Assistant
amartin@haatforce.org
Sienna McGrath
Executive Director
smcgrath@haatforce.org
Our Board
Austin Fearn
Vice President
Chris Hornbaker
President
Kelly Shiffer
Our Partners & Sponsors
Become a Sponsor
Email Sienna McGrath at sienna@haatforce.org for sponsorship opportunities.
Volunteer
How to Get Involved
Serve at our voucher event this winter season
Pick up a donation of food or hygiene items
Help plan and support fundraising events
Organize a donation drive. Use our Amazon Wishlist!
Write thank you notes or help with other office and supply storage projects
Advocate and reach out to potential supporters
Provide professional services pro-bono to the organization – sometimes we could use a few minutes with a lawyer, HR expert, tax specialist or grant writer
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn
Cook a meal for our voucher events
Sign up to volunteer
HAAT Force— Homelessness Awareness and Action Task Force south Metro
~HAAT Force is a registered 501c3~
Address: 4300 S Lincoln St, Englewood, Co 80113
Telephone: 720-483-7864
Contact: info@haatforce.org