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Our Story
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Formed in 1984, Westside CARES is an interfaith, nonprofit collaboration of 22
churches intent on providing crisis human services to residents of the west side.
The only criterion for accessing services is an individual's or family's genuine
need. Westside CARES cooperates with agencies throughout the metropolitan area to
ensure its clients receive adequate crisis intervention services. The goal is an
interdependent network of services between providers.Mission:Westside CARES unites religious fellowships of the west side of Colorado Springs in care and compassion for those in need.Our Mission is to serve our neighbors in need with the love and support we receive from our 22 member churches as well as the greater community. Specifically, we aim:
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VISION:After working hard to lay a firm foundation over the last few years, to include professionally developed Capacity Building and Feasibility Studies, and currently in the first phase of Board Development and Strategic Planning work, Westside CARES is poised to make an even greater impact on the Westside community and communities." |
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THE NEED:Tucked under the base of Pikes Peak, Westside CARES' service area contains dramatic contrasts. Some of the city's wealthiest neighborhoods sit on its southern and northern borders. Yet, among Westside CARES' core service area, just west of I-25 in Old Colorado City and the surrounding neighborhoods and west of Nevada to the south, poverty rates range upwards to nearly 20%. Even more troubling is the poverty rate for children under 18. Nine census tracts in west-side neighborhoods have rates higher than the county rate of 10% and in five of these 20% or more of the children live in poverty. Another indicator of family poverty is the number of students who qualify for free- and reduced-lunch. All nine elementary schools in Westside CARES' core service area report high numbers of students who qualify for free and reduced-lunch with 5 schools ranging from 72% to 92%, three schools from 52% to 57% and one at 29%. In 2003, only seven of these schools had free- and reduced-lunch populations over 20% and none was higher than 80%. Poverty on the west-side appears to be rising.Almost 18% of the population is over the age of 65, 36.4% of adults have the equivalent of a high school diploma or less, and 45% of the families have at least one child living at home. Over half of the west-side residents work, most in low paying jobs. These are the working poor for whom resources are often strained and little public assistance is available. Many west-side families are, at best, barely able to afford very basic housing. The Colorado Division of Housing reports that the city's average market rent for an apartment is $642 (1st quarter 2005). The Housing and Urban Development Department (HUD) considers anyone paying more than 30% of income for housing to be "cost-burdened." To afford an average apartment without being "cost-burdened," Colorado Springs' households must earn a minimum of $25,680 per year. According to the census data, the average family income for most west-side neighborhoods is less than $30,000. Additionally, approximately two-thirds of Westside CARES clients are uninsured. The low-income in general and the uninsured in particular are at risk. This is especially true of uninsured children who often forgo regular immunizations and critical annual checkups. According to the 2001 Colorado Health Data Book (by the Colorado Coalition for the Medically Underserved), Colorado children in low-income families are more likely to be in fair or poor health - 9.4 percent of low-income children report fair or poor health as compared to 2 percent of other children. The households that Westside CARES serve live on the edge. One setback such as a short-term illness, emergency car repair or temporary job loss can lead to homelessness or unmanageable debt. Often critically important needs go unmet such as preventative healthcare, adequate clothing and nutrition, and sufficient heating. Since 2002 the requests for services have increased from 1,818 unduplicated households seeking some form of assistance to 4,973 households in 2008. |
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HistoryEl Paso County has owned the land that is now Bear Creek Park, located at 21st Street and Gold Camp Road, since 1899. The El Paso County Poor Farm was dedicated in 1900, as a place for members of society who couldn't care for themselves. Records show most of its residents were mentally disabled, mentally ill, old or addicted. It also housed a small pox hospital until the 1920s and a Pauper's Cemetery. The Poor Farm operated into the 1970s, but in its later years, functioned as a temporary shelter in a partnership with the El Paso County Department of Social Services. It closed its doors in 1984, and was demolished. Its residents were suddenly thrust into the wider community. A number of the churches of the west side of Colorado Springs came together to help these neighbors in need. At the end of this process, right around Thanksgiving, members of the helping churches gathered to give thanks for one another and the opportunity to serve. They gathered at Bethany Lutheran Church with a Thanksgiving worship service, followed by a pie social. The shared work and worship filled a need among those who participated, and they decided to form a more permanent relationship. And Westside CARES was born. Westside CARES was staffed solely by volunteers in the early years and was housed within the Billie Spielman Center of Pikes Peak Community Action Agency. In 1993, the organization, with two part-time paid staff in addition to the many volunteers, moved into its current location in the basement of Bethany Baptist Church. Over the years, the volunteer staff has grown to over 390 volunteers, and the paid staff has grown as well. The paid staff now includes a part-time pastoral nurse from the Penrose/St. Francis Health System, two part-time Program Staff, the Executive Director is now full-time and just last year a part-time Community Resource Coordinator position was added. Programs and Services have changed and grown as well. Despite all of these expansions, our focus has remained on uniting people of faith in service to our neighbors in need. Historical research comes from the Colorado Genealogical Association, the National Cemetery Registry and El Paso County Parks Department. |
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SERVICE AREA:Our agency serves the residents of the West Side of Colorado Springs and El Paso County. Our boundaries are:
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Our Board of Directors
Executive Board
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Annual Reports |
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990-EZ Forms |
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Member ChurchesWestside CARES is driven by its member churches' intentions to help neighbors and receives financial support as well as most of its volunteer support from those churches. However, volunteers and donors come from all parts of our community
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StaffSteve Brown, Executive DirectorMaryann Stadjuhar, Assistant Executive Director Carol Keenan, Program Administrator Deb Mitguard, Community Resources Coordinator Dorothy Alvarez, Program Associate Over 390 Dedicated Volunteers |
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Westside CARES located: 1930 West Colorado Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80904 Phone: (719) 389-0759 - Fax: (719) 475-8949 |
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