Founded in 2008 as a volunteer-led effort to provide essential gear and supplies to individuals experiencing homelessness, Homeward Alliance (HWA) has grown into Larimer County’s largest homelessness service provider. This large growth is reflected in the increasing needs of the community HWA serves, with more than 4,500 unduplicated individuals served across all programs in 2025.
HWA operates the Murphy Center for Hope, Fort Collins’s primary day shelter and the largest entry point into the regional homelessness response system, which served 2,512 individuals in 2025. At the Murphy Center, guests can meet basic needs while connecting with on-site providers offering health, housing, disability, and veteran services. HWA also serves as the Collaborative Applicant and Homeless Management Information System Lead Agency for the Northern Colorado Continuum of Care (NoCo CoC), overseeing the region’s coordinated entry system, managing a shared data infrastructure across more than 40 agencies, and leading the development of the Larimer County Regional Homelessness Strategy. Beyond the work with its entry point system, HWA delivers several direct-service programs. These include resource navigation, employment-focused case management, bilingual family navigation, case management for adults on parole who are at medium to high risk of recidivism, permanent housing case management, free laundry services through the Mobile Laundry program, and bicycle repair and maintenance to provide safe, reliable transportation for people experiencing homelessness.
Providing these services has not come without its challenges. The regional shelter system is under significant strain. Loveland lost all shelter capacity in 2026, and the Fort Collins Rescue Mission continues to operate at reduced capacity due to a 2025 fire. Because of these events, the Murphy Center expanded its hours and resource navigation capacity to meet the increased demand. As a result, the number of individuals served through resource navigation increased by nearly 50% year-over-year, while health clinic check-ins are up 50% compared to 2024.
Despite these challenges, HWA’s impact continues to grow. In 2025, HWA helped 413 people exit homelessness, the highest number in the organization’s history. The organization achieved an 89% twelve-month housing retention rate across all programs, and more than 700 volunteers contributed over 6,500 hours of service. This collective effort enables HWA to provide a wide range of support, services, and programming for those in need.
The North Regional Council is proud to support an organization that provides essential care to individuals and families at risk of or experiencing homelessness. To learn more about Homeward Alliance, click here.
