The PLACE

Today, we are proud to recognize and celebrate Ent Credit Union (soon to be Wings!) for their extraordinary generosity and commitment to our community.

Ent has joined The PLACE as a Presenting Sponsor of our annual Off the Street Breakfast. We are so grateful to Ent for making this leadership investment in our mission and the people we serve! THANK YOU ENT!

If you didn't know, their support extends far beyond financial contributions—throughout the years, the Ent team and their members have consistently shown up as volunteers, advocates, and partners, dedicating their time and energy to help strengthen our community.

We are deeply grateful for this incredible gift and for the longstanding relationship we share with Ent. Their continued commitment demonstrates the power of community partnership and the impact we can create when organizations come together in service of others.

Thank you, Ent, for your generosity, your volunteer spirit, and your unwavering support. We look forward to helping them unveil their new name, Wings, at next month's breakfast. We are honored to partner with you in making a difference.

Will you be joining us July 23rd? Get your tickets to Off the Street Breakfast 2026 here! https://secure.qgiv.com/for/offthestreetbreakfast2026/event/offthestreetbreakfast2026/

✨ Meet the Staff: Welcome Ruth! ✨

We are thrilled to introduce Ruth as part of The PLACE team! After recently making the move from Texas to Colorado, Ruth has already become a valued member of our staff, and we feel incredibly lucky to have her on board.

When asked to describe her approach to case management, Ruth shared:

"One word to describe my approach to case management is compassionate. I see myself as an empathetic person when interacting with others, and compassion puts that quality into action. I strive to be open, understanding, and nonjudgemental when working with clients so I can better understand their experiences and build an approach that meets their unique needs. I enjoy helping clients navigate challenges and also alleviate some of the stress and burdens they carry.

I'm also a big believer in small acts of compassion and kindness having meaningful impacts. Feeling seen, heard, and supported can be the first step towards positive change, and my experience in case management has only strengthened that belief. My clients have faced some of life's most difficult circumstances, and I'm grateful for the trust they place in me by sharing their stories. That trust motivates me to be a consistent source of kindness, respect, and support throughout their journey."

Please join us in welcoming Ruth to Colorado and to The PLACE family!

This Off the Street Breakfast is an opportunity to thank the incredible supporters, partners, and advocates who make this work possible. Because of your commitment, young people experiencing homelessness have access to safety, stability, support, and hope.

Join us to learn more about what we do, hear stories of impact, celebrate what we've accomplished together, and look ahead to the future. While much has changed, our commitment to serving young people remains as strong as ever.

We are grateful for this community and all those who stand with us in ensuring every young person has a place to call home!

We hope to see you there!
July 23rd, 2026
7:00AM-8:30AM

Open this link to learn more:
https://secure.qgiv.com/for/offthestreetbreakfast2026/event/offthestreetbreakfast2026/

Unable to attend the Off the Street Breakfast event? Donate to the campaign today: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/offthestreetbreakfast2026/

CONGRATS to our four amazing young people who graduated from Diakonia’s Home Builder’s Institute (HBI) Construction Pre-Apprenticeship Certificate Training! 🎉

These four leaders showed incredible commitment, determination, and resilience throughout the program — and they finished strong! We are so proud of the hard work, growth, and perseverance each of them demonstrated along the way.

Programs like this are possible because of the support of our community partners who walk alongside our youth, encourage them, and help create opportunities for success. Your investment in young people truly makes a lasting impact.

Congratulations again to our graduates! Your future is bright and we can’t wait to see what’s next for each of you!

Project Diakonia’s 8-week Home Builders Institute (HBI) Pre-Apprenticeship Certificate Training gives young adults hands-on construction experience, industry-recognized credentials, career readiness support, and exposure to multiple skilled trades. Students build practical skills in construction safety, tools and materials, construction math, employability, and professional communication while also receiving professional mentorship, resume support, mock interviews, and connections to employers and apprenticeship opportunities. More than just job training, the program helps young people build confidence, consistency, and a pathway toward long-term stability and adulthood. Special thanks to our instructors and mentors Jim, Zion, Blake, Alex, and Clint for investing in and walking alongside these students every step of the way!

Huge shoutout to Wings Credit Union (formerly Ent) for selecting The PLACE as a 2026 YES Grants recipient! We’re incredibly honored and grateful to be recognized for the impact we’re making for youth in our community. Thank you, Wings, for believing in our mission and supporting the work we do every day to empower young people. 💙

We also want to thank the amazing group of five Wings employees who spent today volunteering at The PLACE’s Drop-In Center on Cucharras! From cleaning spaces to organizing donations and equipment, your hard work makes a huge difference for our team and the youth we serve.

Wings’ commitment to the community – from company-supported volunteers to much-needed grant funds - helps make Colorado Springs a vibrant place to call home! Through the Wings Financial Foundation, financial literacy and budgeting education with our clients has been a part of our enrichment programs for many years. We are so grateful for this partnership! Wings’ volunteers allow our staff to focus on and expand our impact, achieve our mission and be ready to support youth when they need it most.

Our Development Director, Mary Frances Kerr, recently had the opportunity to meet Wing’s Annie Snead. Annie leads the Wings Community Engagement Team at the Colorado Springs corporate headquarters. Cat Outten, Wings’ Grants and Funding Manager, serves on our board of directors.

We’re thankful for the chance to connect, share our mission, and celebrate the power of community partnerships.
Volunteer groups like this help keep us running strong.

Thanks to all our friends at Wings for showing up for our community!

“Home” means something different to everybody. For some, it’s a place — for others, it’s a feeling of safety, comfort, and belonging. Every young person deserves a place to belong and a safe place to call home.
Affordable housing gives youth the stability they need to focus on their future, mental well-being, and personal growth. 🏡💙

Support affordable housing and help create stronger, healthier communities for the next generation.

We are so grateful to The Independence Center for spending time volunteering with The PLACE this week!

Their team helped with loading light landscaping materials, cleaning up our courtyard, and deep cleaning our transitional living homes. Their hard work made a meaningful impact on our spaces and on the young people we serve every day.

Our case managers were incredibly appreciative, and we truly enjoyed having your team in our space. Thank you for your generosity, energy, and commitment to supporting our community! 💙

This Mental Health Awareness Month, we want to recognize someone who has made a lasting impact in the lives of youth experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity — Dr. Eric Attard of Perceptions, LLC!

For many years, Eric has walked alongside the young people in our community with compassion, consistency, and care. Through his work, he has provided on-the-spot therapy during street outreach in shelters and encampments, attended home visits alongside our Housing Case Managers, and offered appointment-based support in our Drop-In Center.

We are also excited to welcome his new assistant, Raymond, as they continue this important work together. Having trusted, consistent adults in the lives of young people can make all the difference. Real healing begins with real relationships, trust, and ongoing support.

Mental health challenges and housing insecurity often overlap, especially for youth navigating instability and trauma. During Mental Health Awareness Month, we want to shed light on the importance of accessible mental health care and the power of community partnerships that help create safe spaces for healing and growth.

Thank you, Eric, for your years of service, dedication, and unwavering commitment to our youth and community. We are grateful to have both you and Raymond in our space helping provide hope, care, and connection every day!

Meet Cristian!

Originally from Colorado Springs, Cristian lived there for nearly 12 years before returning to his birthplace of Los Angeles in 2021. During his time in Los Angeles, he spent almost 3 years working in the legal field before transitioning into nonprofit work, where he dedicated himself to helping individuals and families access essential resources such as rental and utility assistance, furniture, clothing, and more.

After nearly 6 years of serving the Los Angeles community, Cristian made the decision to move back to Colorado Springs with a passion for creating positive change locally. He chose to join our organization because of its commitment to supporting youth and young adults.

Cristian believes that “Youth are the future!” and that when young people have access to life-changing resources and opportunities, meaningful and lasting impact can happen. We’re excited to have his compassion, experience, and dedication on our team!