And foothills residents are lucky to have Evergreen Christian Outreach with its offi ces located on the east end of downtown Evergreen on the east end of the Church of the Transfiguration parking lot. When someone new comes in to the EChO offi ces, the fi rst thing they are oered is a welcoming atmosphere, compassion and hope. “It takes courage to come in the door,” said EChO executive director Sharon Smith. “Most people are not going to come in asking for help unless they really, really need it. Most people tell is that they have not had to ask for help before.”Smith said the staff offers words of encouragement and tells people they’re not alone.“We tell people they can use our services, and we’ll help them get through this,” Smith said. “We’ll help them get over the hump.”Most of the money comes from donations, not from grants, or from proceeds from the EChO resale shop in Evergreen North between the Evergreen Safeway and the post offi ce, Smith said. Area service organizations help a lot. Food comes from churches, food drives by local groups and individuals. EChO operates because the community gets behind it. EChO helps with food and clothing, and can provide some financial assistance. It can help with rent, utility and phone bills, firewood, some medical costs such as prescriptions. There’s even a category to help with car maintenance and gas. EChO can even help pay for child care expenses, up to one-third of the cost for child care if the parent is at school or at work.“It’s the only program of its kind, not just in the mountains but in Jeerson County,” Smith said. It helps people get training so they may be qualifi ed for another job. It will help with resume writing, job hunting and even the clothes appropriate for interviews.“If people come in and talk to us, we can certainly put together some resources for them and give them a sense of hope that they’re not in it by themselves,” Smith said. Donations needed To keep supplying needy families with what they need to survive, EChO needs your help in the form of donations. Smith says right now, the food bank needs paper products, especially toilet paper. Families with food stamps can’t use that money for toilet paper. But at this time of year, before the onslaught of holiday food drives, the pantry shelves get low. Canned fruits and vegetables, pasta, pasta sauce, tuna, boxes of cereal – any products that will help feed families are in desperate need and are greatly appreciated. Tax-deductible money donations may be mailed to Evergreen Christian Outreach, P.O. Box 1515, Evergreen, CO 80437.Food donations may be dropped o at 27640 Highway 74 in Evergreen from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.Those needing assistance may come in between noon and 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday.EChO can be reached by calling 303-670-1796 or e-mailing This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Visit the website at evergreenchristianoutreach.org.