Whether you are struggling to cover bills, can’t afford healthy food this month, or are experiencing other hardships, Sister Carmen is here for you! Residents residing in Lafayette, Louisville, Superior, Erie or unincorporated East Boulder County may qualify for our services. Call 303-665-4342 for more information or to schedule an appointment.
In order to keep supporting our community during the pandemic, we have taken steps to keep our staff, volunteers, participants, and the community at large safe and help prevent the spread of the illness. We are updating our policies to reflect best practices as provided by the CDC and Boulder County Public Health. Our current operations are as follows:
“There is life after despair. I am proof that you can do it.” – Nina, SCCC Participant
Nutrition & Healthy Living
Food Bank
- Our Food Bank hours are:
- Monday, 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
- Tuesday, 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, 1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
- Thursday, 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
- Friday, 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
- If these hours do not work or if you need delivery, please call (303) 665-4342 and we will work with you and your situation.
- What to bring: please bring a photo ID and proof of residency (such as a utility bill) for Lafayette, Louisville, Superior, Erie, or unincorporated East Boulder County.
- How it works: Our food bank is a self-shop model that allows you to choose your own food. To shop at the food bank, please enter through the South side of the building, add yourself to the wait list on the iPad in the entryway, then pick up a beeper. You may wait indoors or anywhere on the Sister Carmen property until your beeper goes off (please note that the beeper will not work if you leave the property). Once your beeper goes off, check-in with one of the Advocates at the desks in the food bank waiting area.
- Smoking is not allowed while accessing our food bank. Please respect our staff and volunteers and wait until you exit.
- Options for those without vehicles: If you cannot come to the Food Bank, you may have a family member or friend pick up food for you. Please share your proof of address and ID with that person. Participants living in Lafayette may also use the Lafayette free ride to access the Food Bank. If none of those options work for you or you are not able to make it during our regular hours, please call (303) 665-4342.
- You may visit the Food Bank up to 3 times per month.
- If you need additional food, you are also welcome to shop at Community Food Share.
Classes and Workshops
- Nutrition and cooking education
- Exercise classes: checkout our website Calendar or Facebook page for upcoming class times
- Wellness/Meditation Workshops
- Vaccine Clinics
On-site community garden
- Our community garden on the South side of the building is free and open to the public. Please feel free to wander through and enjoy the sights, smells, and sounds of nature. Produce from the garden goes to the food bank. If you would like to work in the garden, please visit our Volunteer Page to get involved or sign-up for our Garden Newsletter to stay informed.
Advocacy
- Emergency financial assistance: rent, referrals to mortgage assistance programs, utility bills, limited transportation assistance, and other essential expenses.
- Connections to additional resources and supports, such as mental health care, job coaching, Medicare/Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP), and more.
- In addition to financial assistance, our Advocates can assist with goal setting and support through enrollment in the Family Development Services, which can assist and provide in:
- Self-care tips
- Improving self-esteem
- Long-term and short-term goals set by you!
- Check-ins depending on capacity levels for both the participant and the Advocate
- Resource referrals
- Pathways to Economic Stability program provides education, job training opportunities, job placement, and some financial assistance. For residents of Lafayette, Erie, Louisville, Superior, and unincorporated East Boulder County. Programs include, but not limited to:
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
- Computer Networking
- Medical Administrative Assistance
- Practical Nursing
- Welding Technology
- Optics Technology
- Automation Engineering Tech
- Certified Nursing Assistant
- Cyber Sync UP Apprenticeship
- QA Engineer
- Teaching Certificate
- And more!
Appointments are required to meet with an Advocate for financial and other assistance. Please call (303) 665–4342 to make an appointment. Appointments are available in person or by phone.
Homelessness
Sister Carmen does not provide housing, but we do offer some resources for those experiencing homelessness in Lafayette, Louisville, Superior, Erie, and unincorporated East Boulder County. We encourage individuals to access Coordinated Entry services when possible.
We are available to chat at our front desk Monday-Friday from 9am-12pm and 1pm-5pm, and at our food bank Monday-Friday 1pm-5pm and Wednesday 1pm-6pm at 655 Aspen Ridge Drive, Lafayette, CO 80026.
The following is a list of some of the resources we may have available at Sister Carmen:
- Bus Tickets (limited amount)
- Thrift Store Vouchers
- Financial assistance to take care of eye needs
- Connections with county resources
- A computer kiosk in our front office
- ID Vouchers
- Shower Passes
- Bikes
- Food, supplies and other possible financial assistance
Community & Family Education
- Nurturing Parenting classes
- Parenting support groups
- Computer classes
- Civic engagement classes
Classes are free and are not limited by our service area. Some classes are offered virtually. To learn more, call 303-665-4342.
Professional Development Trainings
SCCC is a hub for professional development to support our staff and other Family Resource Centers by offering trainings on the Strengths-Based approach to service, the California Quality Standards of Care, Protective Factors, Motivational Interviewing, and the Family Development Credential.
To learn more, call 303-665-4342.
Co-located Agencies
We partner with local agencies to provide timely and meaningful services to our community. We are pleased to share our Aspen Ridge facility with these organizations, whom we also work closely with:
More Resources
- Boulder County Covid-19 resources
- 211 Colorado – Statewide Resources
Non-Discrimination Statement
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
- mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or - fax:
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or - email:
Program.Intake@usda.gov
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
The above is not a complete listing of all of the services, referrals or resources we may be able to provide.
If you are unsure about the type of support you may need, please call us at 303-665-4342 and we can help guide you to the appropriate services.