FISH Prepares for Annual Fundraising Event: Embracing Hope

By Bette Erickson

If you’re ever been lucky enough to have a tête-à-tête with lifelong Broomfield resident Emily Crouse-Joo, be assured you’ll walk away feeling better than when you arrived.

Ms. Crouse-Joo has remarkable influence, not only with her friends, but with strangers and the greater community. Chatting face-to-face with her is genuinely uplifting and inspiring.

I recently spoke with the Community Engagement Specialist with FISH about the organization’s upcoming new fall fundraising event slated for October 7 at Broomfield’s Partners Group. She had just accepted the Non-Profit of the Year award on behalf of FISH from the Broomfield Chamber of Commerce at its Membership Gala.

Broomfield FISH (Fellowship In Serving Humanity) has been a vital community resource serving the economically disadvantaged for nearly six decades. Ms. Crouse-Joo’s grandmother, the late Anne Crouse, was one of the co-founders of the important organization.

Broomfield FISH meets our neighbors’ basic human needs and provides them with hope and tools to rise out of poverty. FISH is a nonprofit organization that provides food, emergency financial assistance, and one-on-one mentoring support to Broomfield residents in need.

“I love my job,” exclaimed Ms. Crouse-Joo. “It’s like the best job ever.”

Her colleague, Stacey Schmuck, Development Specialist with FISH, said that Ms. Crouse-Joo is perfect in the role of Community Engagement Specialist.

“She knows so many people in Broomfield,” Ms. Schmuck said.

The October 7 Embracing Hope fundraiser is one of the organization’s biggest fundraising events of the year, both women explained.

FISH serves residents in Broomfield County living at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, offering food, emergency financial assistance, referral services to more than 30 partner organizations, and strengthsbased, whole family development pathways. The annual fundraiser supports many of these programs. This year’s goal of raising some $115,000 is within reach, Ms. Crouse-Joo said. “Broomfield always shows up.”

The Embracing Hope event is something many in the community look forward to. Previously known as the elegant Harvest of Hope event at the Omni, because of COVID last fall, the organizers at FISH had to pivot to all virtual in 2020.

“I’m thrilled – it’s a different approach this year,” explained Ms. Schmuck. Residents and business partners may attend virtually or in-person this year.

“We heard our community’s desire to connect so we decided to change our event,” said Ms. Schmuck. “After being completely shut down for so long, we wanted to create an opportunity for people to come together and celebrate all the successes from the last year as well as plan and fundraise for next year.”

Broomfield FISH Fall Fundraiser “Embracing Hope”

Thursday, October 7 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Partners Group, 1200 Entrepreneurial Dr., Broomfield

This will be a hybrid event. Both online and in-person participation is offered.

For more information, visit www.BroomfieldFish.org or call 303-645-1600. Register at FISH.bebids.me.