The PLACE

Our Drop-In Center team spent some time cleaning up around our property and taking pride in the space we share with our downtown community!

We took this opportunity to model what it means to be a good neighbor, taking care of our space, respecting the community around us, and contributing to a place we are proud to call home!

We believe these small moments matter, creating a sense of pride, responsibility, and belonging can be part of building stability and helping young people see the potential in themselves and their communities.

We’re proud of our youth and our team for showing up, pitching in, and taking care of our little corner of the neighborhood!! Thanks Drop-In!

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

For young people experiencing housing insecurity, safety and healthy relationships can be deeply connected to their housing journey. Exposure to domestic violence, abuse, or unhealthy relationships can contribute to housing instability. A young person may leave an unsafe home, lose access to family support, or find themselves without a safe place to go. For others, experiencing homelessness can increase their vulnerability to unsafe relationships and exploitation.

We have an opportunity to show young people that relationships can be safe. That their boundaries matter. That they deserve to be heard, respected, and supported. At The PLACE we take this opportunity seriously as we know what is modeled here is a chance to show youth what healthy relationships can look like.

We lean on community partners like TESSA of Colorado to provide education and resources to support our young people and are thankful for their expertise in our community.

🤍 HOW THE PLACE WORKS: FROM OUTREACH TO STABILITY

Our Street Outreach team connects with young people where they are whether we meet them on the streets or through our community partners. We build trust, provide immediate support, and let each young person know: you don’t have to figure this out alone.

Our outreach team carries essentials like food, water, hygiene supplies, and gear to help young people stay safe while they’re outside.

From there, we work to build a relationship and complete an intake so we can better understand what each young person needs and where they want to go next.

When they’re ready, we invite young people into our Drop-In Center, where they can access a safe, welcoming space, basic needs, resources, and wraparound support.

Then we work with the young person to identify their next steps. That might mean family reunification, stable housing, healthcare, substance use treatment, education, employment, or another path that makes sense for them.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution.

Our goal is simple: help young people get off the streets, stay housed, and build a future they can see themselves in.

We meet youth where they are, walk alongside them toward where they want to go, and work every day to ignite the potential in every young person we serve.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Domestic violence can be physical, but it can also involve emotional abuse, financial control, isolation, sexual coercion, technology, threats, stalking, and other behaviors used to gain or maintain power and control.

Throughout October, we’ll be taking a closer look at some of the less-recognized ways abuse can appear, why leaving is not always simple, and how all of us can play a role in supporting survivors. Because recognizing abuse is one step toward changing how our community responds to it.

September is National Recovery Month

Substance use treatment is healthcare, and recovery looks different for every person. For young people experiencing homelessness, substance use may exist alongside trauma, mental health challenges, housing instability, and other circumstances that can make finding stability even more difficult.

At The PLACE, we meet young people where they are, without judgment. We focus on building trust so that when a young person is ready, they know they have people who will listen, support them, and help connect them to resources that align with their goals.

Sometimes support means connecting someone to immediate treatment or recovery services. Sometimes it means helping them find stable housing and creating space to focus on their health. And sometimes it simply means continuing to show up and reminding them that when they’re ready, we’ll be here.

There isn't one path to recovery, and no one should have to walk it alone. Our job is to keep the door open, build the relationship, and walk alongside young people as they choose their next step! 🤍

Young people experience recovery differently. Supporting youth means meeting them where they are and recognizing their unique strengths, challenges, and goals.

Sometimes one of the most important things we can offer someone is a place where they know they are welcome and where they know they are known! 🤍

Youth homelessness can be incredibly isolating. For young people navigating uncertainty, trauma, family conflict, or a lack of consistent support, having trusted adults and relationships they can count on can make a meaningful difference.

At The PLACE, connection is at the center of what we do. Street Outreach begins with showing up and meeting young people where they are. Our Drop-In Center is more than a place to access resources, we pride ourselves on creating a space that feels welcoming, accepting, and as close to home as we can make it. A place where young people can walk through the door, see familiar faces, be themselves, and know they belong.

Building that kind of trust takes time. It takes consistency, patience, and people who are willing to keep showing up. Our goal is to help build a village of trusted adults around each young person... people who listen, encourage, celebrate their wins, and walk alongside them through the hard days, too.

There is always a way to connect to our mission here at The PLACE! Interesting in hosting a Supply Drive? This opportunity is perfect for school-aged groups, churches or your office!

Email [email protected] to coordinate drop off at our central location 423 E. Cucharras Street in Downtown Colorado Springs!

Our programs steadily support youth from living outside into supportive housing and they count on us to assist with basic needs like toiletries and clothing, together we can assure our Case Managers have the tools they need to provide this support.

🔥 We’re still looking for a gently used or new outdoor grill for our Drop-In Center! We love gathering our young people for BBQs and creating opportunities for connection, community, and good food. If you have a grill you’d like to donate, we’d love to hear from you!

We are in need of pantry items! Items that are shelf stable and ready made meals are essential for our Safehouse. If you or your organization are interested in doing a donation drive for TESSA please reach out to our email, [email protected], to coordinate! 💜