Left Hand Laurel – Erin Hofer-Shall

Longmont based HOPE, short for Homeless Outreach Providing Encouragement, cares for some of the most vulnerable members of the community. Founded in 2007, HOPE has supported the homeless community with the end goal being self-sufficiency. The organization exists to fill people's most basic needs of shelter and food, in addition to providing forward momentum resources such as one-on-one advocacy.

Gunbarrel resident Erin Hofer-Shall is an angel of HOPE. While that sounds very ethereal, she and her twin eight-year old sons, Fox and Leo, truly do swoop in to help those who have very little - no home, no bed, and no oven – to eat healthy, delicious meals prepared by HOPE's "Soup Angels."

Erin and Zach Hofer-Shall met in Boston, moved to Portland, Maine, where their twins were born, and then ricocheted to the west coast when the boys were four months old. A slight bounce back in the easterly direction brought them to Colorado for Zach's job in October three years ago.

Erin almost immediately searched for ways to connect with people and to model community involvement to their boys. Her inquiries led her to HOPE, and by Christmas 2017, she was delivering home cooked meals to HOPE's overnight shelters in Longmont.

After seeing the hardships of homelessness on the streets of Boston and again in the San Francisco Bay area where tent cities were exploding, Hofer-Shall felt the pull to take action, and HOPE's volunteer program offers the opportunity to make a real difference.

HOPE's nightly navigation services center provides much needed shelter, showers, laundry and hot meals year round. Because of HOPE's staff and volunteers like Hofer-Shall, in 2019 11,700 hot meals were served, 117 people were navigated out of homelessness, 51 people were housed, and critically needed resources such as prescription drugs, clothing, and toiletries were provided to those on the streets.

An interior designer, Hofer-Shall owns a consulting business which these days has taken a backseat to COVID and being available for her homebound school-aged kids. To Hofer-Shall, the role of a parent includes exemplifying and finding ways for her children to participate in having a meaningful impact on the world.

"The idea of making the meals, it's something the boys can either participate in or watch me do and come with me when I deliver them." Hofer-Shall said.

Each of HOPE's Soup Angels prepare full meals for groups of 10 people consisting of protein-based main courses, such as stews or sheet pan entrées, vegetables, fruit, and desserts.

"I've been trying to make the meals as hearty as possible, and I try to kind of spice them up a little bit so it's not all the same," Hofer-Shall.

The frequency of providing meals is up to each Soup Angel or group of Angels. Hofer-Shall committed to preparing a meal once a month.

Spotting tents along the road in California, the boys were already inquisitive about life for homeless people. Hofer-Shall found those were teachable moments and openings to nurture their compassion. When they deliver meals, Hofer-Shall and her boys discuss the vulnerability each of us has to mental health and employment issues and the importance of being generous citizens of the world.

"We started really early talking about the topic of privilege and what that means," Hofer-Shall said. "We had a lot of conversations about the Black Lives Matter marches and protests which we attended. I really try to talk about the responsibility of being part of a community, the idea that you've got to give back because when everyone is doing well, the community is doing well."

HOPE's Outreach/Volunteer Manager, Andy Schwartz, said, "Erin is a consistent volunteer for one of our most important programs. Even when she can't contribute due to a conflict, she fills in somewhere else. We are very lucky to have her as part of our team."

Volunteering at HOPE is just one way in which Hofer-Shall cares for others and as a family, they are very conscious of making a difference. Erin volunteers at the boys' school, Heatherwood Elementary, as a room mom and in the front office. During the 2020 presidential election season, Hofer-Shall handwrote hundreds of postcards and letters urging people to register to vote.

"It's my way of handling the debilitating anxiety about the state of the world right now," Hofer-Shall explained. "I've definitely jumped in with both feet since COVID hit."

The family also supports Casa de Paz, an organization that provides needed resources and assistance to reunite families separated by federal immigration detention. The last day of each work week is a Green Friday for the family, where they spend time going through their house for items they no longer need or want, but would be useful donations to others. That day is also designated as a time to not participate in consumerism.

To donate money and needed items, and to give the gift of your time and energy to HOPE Longmont, visit http://www.HopeForLongmont.org. Right now, HOPE's largest needs are gloves, new and gently used coats, and hand warmers.