COMMUNITY NEWS

Family resources

Children’s resource fair, at-home opportunities, mental health support and more

THERESA BAER

FCMOD CONTINUES TO OFFER ATHOME DISCOVERY BOXES

Supplement your at-home learning through engaging museum offerings. The Fort Collins Museum of Discovery (FCMoD) reopened this summer for on-site discovery but also continues to offer virtual programs, workshops and livestream events, in addition to exciting hands-on home Discovery Boxes, delivered straight to you! The museum’s Discovery Boxes are designed for two different age groups, (ages 3–6 and 7–11) and filled with a combination of books, toys, science experiments, learning challenges, guided explorations and educational activities, featuring themes ranging from ecosystem science, to space exploration, to time travel adventure.

Visit www.fcmod.org/programs to learn more and reserve your Discovery Box (with sibling kit add-on, if desired) today.

FREE SUPPORT SERVICES FOR THOSE FEELING OVERWHELMED

In stressful moments, it’s normal for feel anxious, angry, sad, exhausted and overwhelmed. If current events have you feeling any of these and you need to talk, you have options. The Health District of Northern Larimer County offers a noncrisis COVID-19 emotional support line for Larimer County where Behavioral Health Specialists offer COVID support services seven days a week via phone or video conference at no charge. They are also available to help with other mental health or substance use concerns. If you need someone to talk to, call 970-221-5551, 7 days a week.

North Range Behavioral Health in Greeley also offers a no-cost telehealth therapy appointment for Weld County residents who are not currently enrolled in services. Access this confidential mental health support for you or loved ones by calling 970-347-2120 and mention “North Range Cares.”

If you are in crisis, call SummitStone Crisis Line, 970-494- 4200; Colorado Crisis Services, 1-844- 493-8255 (or text “TALK” to 38255), or call 911.

VIRTUAL KIDS COOKING CLASSES

The Cooking Studio Fort Collins offers an at-home cooking experience for kids ages 9–15 where the kids can make desserts or even an entire family dinner with live coaching from a chef via video conference. Kids receive step-by-step instructions, chef tips and tricks and ask questions as they go because the chef is live in your kitchen. In September, the 60–90 minute video conferences take place at 1pm on Tuesdays for dessert classes and Thursdays at 4pm for dinner classes, with classes beginning at $15 per person. View the details and register online at www.the-cooking-studio.com/ kids-classes.

CHILDREN IN NEED FAMILY RESOURCE FAIR

Homeward Alliance hosts quarterly resource fairs for children and families experiencing homelessness or are near homelessness. On Saturday, September 12 from 9am to noon they will distribute children’s clothing and supplies and have community agencies on hand to offer a variety of supportive services and information at the Northside Aztlan Community Center, 112 East Willow Street in Fort Collins. If you are in need of supplies or services, contact

info@homewardalliance.org. To learn more, or if you would like to donate to the winter resource fair that will take place on Saturday, December 5, please visit www.homewardalliance.org/events.

SAVE THE DATE FOR GREELEY’S CLEAN-UP WEEKEND

Greeley’s annual Clean-up Weekend allows residents to dispose of or recycle unwanted items. The event takes place October 2-3 from 8am to 5pm each day, rain or shine. Bring everything to one of three drop sites designated for hazardous waste, yard waste and other household debris. Computers and electronics will not be collected. Identification is required and all loads must be secured with a tarp. View the flyer at www.greeleycalendar.com for drop sites and details/costs of acceptable items for each location.

NOCO URBAN HOMESTEAD TOUR

Get inspired and educate your children about a self-sustainable lifestyle that includes growing your own produce, raising backyard chickens, ducks, bees, fruit trees, greenhouses, re-purposed garden structures and more. The seventh annual NoCo Urban Homestead Tour takes place Saturday, September 12 with featured homestead locations in Fort Collins and Loveland and benefits the Gardens on Spring Creek and Loveland Youth Gardeners. A variety of start times are available with tickets $20 for adults and children ages 12 and up, $5 for children ages 5–11, and free for children ages 4 and under, and can be reserved online at www.fcgov. com/gardens/noco-urban-homesteadtour. With an anticipated average of 30 minutes per homestead, the full tour should take four hours to complete, plus transportation time. Regardless of start time, the tour ends at 2pm.

CELEBRATE NOCO’S SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS WITH 3-DAY VIRTUAL EVENT

Help celebrate 20 years of the Sustainable Living Association’s initiatives to educate on and support environmental, social and economic justice in northern Colorado. A free 3-day virtual event will take place September 18 through 20 from 9am until 7pm daily and include:

Tips and action items to help people incorporate more sustainable practices into their work and home lives • Virtual coffee chats and happy hours where community members will discuss what sustainability issues are most important to them and how we can help to meet those needs • Fun, educational activities such as a self-guided bicycle scavenger hunt that will direct community members to area businesses in a hunt to find all the clues

Learn more online at www. sustainablelivingassociation.org/events/ sustainable-solutions or call 970- 213-9107.

KIDS MUSIC DAY INSPIRES FAMILIES TO PLAY MUSIC

Keep Music Alive is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the value of music to inspire more kids and adults to reap the educational, social and therapeutic benefits of playing music. Next month, Keep Music Alive will celebrate the 5th Annual Kids Music Day on October 2 by partnering with nearly 1,000 music schools, music stores and other music organizations to hold special events and promotions that benefit children playing music. This year, several virtual musical experiences for parents and their children will be available. Locally, on Saturday, October 5, Guitar Center in Fort Collins at 813 East Harmony Road will offer free onsite jumpstart music lessons in their various instrument offerings. Visit www.KeepMusicAlive.org and www.KidsMusicDay.org for more information.