Columbia, SC

 

Colorado Springs is the second largest city in Colorado and was recently ranked as one of the best cities to live in. However, amongst this beautiful city are individuals struggling with material poverty and homelessness. The United Way reports that over the last few years, the percentage of individuals living in a state of homelessness was up nearly 6% with youth homelessness up 7%. And then there are others who are not homeless, but still struggle with day-to-day living.

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The good news — there are many active churches and community organizations within Colorado Springs helping to meet this problem head on. Next Step is excited to continue to come alongside the local church and community organizations like Mission Medical Center, Family Life Services and Fresh Start Center, to assist people like Gloria.

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Gloria is a local homeowner in Colorado Springs who we initially met through Brothers Redevelopment. This organization helps elderly and disabled people by providing home repair and affordable housing. Gloria’s home needed a lot of work. Our student teams cleaned out her house, fixed drywall, installed a new toilet and landscaped her yard. Gloria loved spending time with all the students, leaders, and staff throughout the summer. She specifically loved to tell them about Jesus and how he was always there for her. Gloria’s love was contagious and deeply moved the students serving her.

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While many homeowners and organizations need physical work, they also simply desire someone to talk with and listen to them. 

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This summer our teams will continue to participate in building projects for families in transitional housing, join outreach events in the community, and engage in tangible service projects that meet the food and shelter needs of individuals living in states of at-risk homelessness or homelessness. No matter the project, students will have many opportunities to share the Gospel to families that find themselves in hard times. Most importantly, groups get the chance to learn from people like Gloria who have so much to share. 

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We invite you to join us in Colorado Springs next summer!