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WEEK OF DECEMBER 26, 2024
VOLUME 98 | ISSUE 4
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Here’s what to know about signing up for free preschool State program gets earlier start on applications for upcoming academic year BY ANN SCHIMKE CHALKBEAT
People walk through snowfall in November near Union Station in Denver.
PHOTO BY ERIC HEINZ
Finding cold weather shelter for homeless Locations across region offer unhoused folks a warm place to stay BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
During cold weather in the Denver region, people without homes may struggle to find a safe, warm place to go — and that can be a matter of life and death. Unhoused Coloradans face the risk of hypothermia, a sometimes-deadly condition caused by exposure to cold temperatures. Staying outside also can cause frostbite, a freezing of body tissues that can lead to amputation. The nonprofit Severe Weather Shelter Network, a program that kept people warm in a large swath of the Denver metro area, recently shut down permanently. But several programs in Ad-
ams, Arapahoe, Denver and Jefferson counties, and beyond, offer shelter. Here’s a look at where you may be able to find a warm place amid cold weather. Adams and Broomfield counties
In a large part of the north metro area, the Severe Weather Activation Program, or SWAP, provides hotel vouchers to the unhoused. The program generally activates when temperatures reach 32 degrees and wet, or 20 degrees and dry, according to the website for Brightonbased organization Almost Home. People with documented ties to Broomfield or Adams County may qualify for the program. See the website at
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almosthomeonline.org/swap or call 303-659-6199 for more information. Officials in Adams also offer transportation to help people reach a safe destination. “Adams County believes that transportation should not be a barrier to life-saving shelter. We offer bus passes and no-cost Lyft rides through our municipal and nonprofit navigators to help low-income community members access necessary resources,” said Nikki Kimbleton, a spokesperson for Adams County. “For those who need transportation to stay with friends or family in another community, we can purchase bus, plane or train tickets to reunite folks with friends, family and housing.” The public can email Pov-
Colorado families can now apply for the state’s free preschool program for the 2025-26 school year. The $344 million program, which launched in the fall of 2023, is open to all 4-year-olds. About 41,000 4-year-olds are currently enrolled in the program — about 65% of that age group in the state. A smaller number of 3-year-olds who need extra help are also enrolled. The state has made a few key changes to the process this year, including opening the application window two months earlier and offering a phone helpline that offers interpretation in over 100 languages. Here’s what families need to know about the preschool program and the online application. Who gets free preschool? How much do they get?
When temperatures drop below 32 degrees for daytime highs and below 20 degrees for nighttime lows, Thornton opens a “warming center” at the Margaret Carpenter Recreation Center at 11151 Colorado Blvd. — near 112th Avenue — according to the city. When active, the warming center is open from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday through Friday and from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, according to Gary Hobbs, deputy chief of administration with Thornton Fire Department.
Two groups of children qualify: All 4-year-olds and some 3-year-olds who need extra help. The preschool program is primarily designed for children in the year before they go to kindergarten. For the upcoming 2025-26 school year, that generally means children who turn 4 before Oct. 1, 2025. (Some districts have slightly different cutoff dates.) Most 4-year-olds will get 15 hours of preschool a week, though some preschool providers offer only 10 hours a week. In addition, some 4-year-olds will qualify for 30 hours of tuition-free preschool a week. These include children from families with incomes at or below 100% of the 2024 federal poverty level — up to $31,200 for a family of four. Four-year-olds with two or more of the following risk factors will also qualify for 30 hours a week:
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ertyReduction@adcogov.org for more information on longdistance travel. Thornton
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