Springs Rescue Mission was recognized on the floor of the Colorado House of Representatives Wednesday, Jan. 22 for the work it does to help the hungry, homeless and addicted in Colorado Springs and throughout the Pikes Peak Region.The tribute was proposed by Colorado State Rep. Tim Geitner (R - House District 19) and signed by Colorado House Speaker KC Becker (D – House District 13).The document, which expresses “sincere commendations,” reads as follows:

“Since its humble beginnings in 1996, the founders, volunteers and staff of Springs Rescue Mission have been working to fight homelessness, poverty, and addiction. With a unique offering of relief and rehabilitation programs, Springs Rescue Mission not only provides housing and food to those experiencing homelessness, they also actively work to provides pathways out of homelessness through addiction recovery classes, 12-step programs, case management sessions, and mental and spiritual counseling. In 2019 alone, Springs Rescue Mission sheltered 3,200 men and women, served over 200,000 meals, provided 58,000 job training hours, and held over 7,900 mental health appointments with partners. Their work to provide a welcoming and safe environment that promotes transformation and empowerment all while treating guests with dignity and respect has made a significant impact not only for the individuals receiving aid, but in the Pikes Peak Region as a whole. The members of the Colorado House of Representatives are proud to thank Springs Rescue Mission for their continued dedication and invaluable contributions to the well-being of the citizens of Colorado.”During the tribute, Geitner recognized specifically the leadership team of Springs Rescue Mission, including CEO Larry Yonker and CDO Travis Williams.“Those of us from El Paso County just wanted to pay tribute and recognize the work of Springs Rescue Mission,” he said. “We just wanted to recognize the contributions that Springs Rescue Mission provides to El Paso County and the Pikes Peak Region. We truly appreciate you and the work you do for the members of our community.”

Ed and Terese Dills were also recognized for their support of Springs Rescue Mission as both donors and volunteers.“Ed Dills actually uses his personal property and grows tons of vegetables each year to help feed the hungry there in El Paso County with Springs Rescue Mission," Geitner said.Colorado State Rep. Larry Liston (R – House District 16) also said a few words during the tribute.“I too just wanted to give a brief shout out to the Springs Rescue Mission,” he said “They do phenomenal work, not just in and around Colorado Springs but also in El Paso County. … So we thank you all for the fantastic work that you do. You do a great job.”You can listen to the tribute in its entirety here (segment on the Mission starts at 8:35).Subscribe to our blog to learn more about Springs Rescue Mission and the people we serve — people who have seen tough times but are committed to breaking the cycles of homelessness, hunger and addiction in their lives. We see stories of hope and transformation lived out every day, and we’d love to share them with you.