Neighbors Helping Neighbors (NHN) has been busy this summer and fall. Thanks to the generosity of the community we have been able to help many in crisis in northeast Saguache County. For those of you who are new arrivals, NHN is a three-decade-old non-profit founded by locals and dedicated to helping those in crisis. As NHN defines crisis: it is a one-time event in which the help of NHN gets the individual or family back on their feet. Over the years NHN has addressed many crisis situations from electric, gas, water and phone bills to medical and dental bills, funeral expenses, vehicle issues—just to name a few. NHN is not affiliated with any larger organization. It is a one-off funded by the generosity of the community, Saguache County Tax Grants and other small grants. NHN serves an area from the south end of the Baca Grande to County Road GG. Check out the website www.nhncrestoneco.com for more info.
At the last NHN meeting new officers were elected. Long time Crestone resident Matie Belle Lakish is now the President of NHN. Mary Lowers will now serve as Vice President. Debra Morley, Treasurer, and Debbie Oberhausen, Secretary. Other NHN Board members include Lisa Haskins, Tevye Belous, Pamela Rose and Leanne Stenberg. This fantastic group is working hard in these difficult times to be there for the community we serve.
Firewood Project
NHN is teaming up with the Crestone Energy Exchange, headed by Lisa Bodey and Donovan Spitzman, and specifically through the Firewood Project helps people who cannot afford firewood this year. You can apply for a load of firewood at the NHN website. We are getting together a list of recommended firewood providers which we will publish. We will not be selling wood this year or doing work trades for wood, as we are concentrating on getting the NHN wood program needs figured out. Look next season for the Firewood Project expanding into selling wood and trading labor for wood. NHN and the Firewood Project are also teaming up with the Hearth of the Baca, a not-for-profit group headed by Christina Lakish and Corez Hines that visits at-risk people in Crestone and the Baca Grande, bringing firewood, food and comfort. They have been actively serving the community for three seasons and are the main contributors to the free community firewood pile located at 330 W. Galena in Crestone. The firewood pile is stocked as frequently as possible, mostly with mitigation wood. No application or check-in is needed for the free firewood pile . . . just leave some for the next guy!