Debbie Caldwell and Kathy Hogeboom have been volunteering with Partners in Housing since 2016! Debbie starting in April and Kathy later joining in September. Nearly a decade later, the two remain a Thursday fixture at the Donation Center, where they welcome families with a smile and help them find essential items to turn their homes into a place they can call their own.

Both were drawn to Partners in Housing after retiring. Debbie was impressed with the program’s philosophy, while Kathy was encouraged by a friend who described it as a meaningful place to serve. Together, they’ve found a mission they wholeheartedly believe in. A place where families receive not only resources, but the tools, confidence, and support needed to move toward a brighter future.

Some of their favorite moments come from the little things. The sparkle in a child’s eyes when they spot a cool, new toy; a teen’s excitement of finding shoes that feel just right; or someone finding an interview outfit that gives them that boost of confidence. “Seeing people light up like that never gets old,” they shared.

After nearly 10 years of service, Debbie and Kathy agree that volunteering at Partners in Housing is both rewarding and essential. “This is one of the best nonprofit programs I know of,” says Debbie. “The success rate is amazing, and whatever you do makes a difference,” adds Kathy.

We’re deeply grateful for Debbie and Kathy’s dedication, compassion, and the countless ways they’ve helped families move forward!

If you are interested in working with Partners in Housing as a volunteer, please check out our Volunteer Page where we have the full process, application, and positions listed.

For questions, please reach out to Tarin Potter, our In Kind and Volunteer Coordinator, at tpotter@partnersinhousing.org or (719) 559-3286. To read the full Fall 2025 newsletter, please click here!

The post Volunteer Spotlight: Meet Debbie & Kathy appeared first on Partners in Housing.

To everyone who gave gifts, gift cards, food, time and/or money, we thank you!

Here are a few highlights of the 2024 holiday season:

• St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, Care and Share, Analog Devices and several

individual donors provided Thanksgiving turkeys and sides for all 68 families in the

Partners in Housing Family Self-Sufficiency Program.

• Keller Williams Clients’ Choice Realty sponsored a fall car show and a winter

craft show to provide gifts for children in the Family Self-Sufficiency Program.

• Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus made their annual visit to the Colorado House

Resource Center to see all of the children who decorated cookies and told Santa

their Christmas wishes. Thanks to the Pikes Peak Kiwanis Club for this treat!

• $5,735 worth of gift cards were received from generous donors for our families to go shopping for their own specific needs during the holiday season.

• Ridgeview Elementary School collected 10,840.90 pounds of food for the Colorado House pantry.

• Generous groups and individuals supplied gifts for 79 families including 166

children at the annual holiday shopping event. Volunteers and staff helped

children and adults select the perfect gifts for their family and wrapped each gift

with care.

A huge, heartfelt thank you to everyone who made the holiday season brighter for families in housing crisis!

Your Time Has Power: Give Time, Change a Life Today!

At Partners in Housing, volunteers aren’t just helpers, they’re the heart of our mission. Every hour spent stocking shelves, delivering and picking up furniture, maintaining properties, or supporting families moves someone closer to stability and self-sufficiency. In fiscal year 2023-24, 430 volunteers gave an incredible 5,506 hours of their time, contributing $184,379 worth of impact to families in need.

Volunteering with Partners in Housing is more than just a commitment; it’s an incredible opportunity to uplift families as they navigate their journey toward self-sufficiency. By sharing your time and skills, you’re igniting hope and supporting stability in the lives of those striving for a brighter future.

Becoming a volunteer is simple! Here’s how you can start making an impact:

• Apply – Complete our online volunteer application.

• Interview – We’ll help match your interests with the right opportunity.

• Background Check (if required) – Certain roles require screening for safety.

• Attend Training or Orientation – Learn everything you need to know

before getting started.

• Start Volunteering! – Join our incredible team and help families in need.

Are you a current volunteer? Mark your calendars! We’re celebrating YOU

at our Volunteer Appreciation event on April 24, 2025, from 5-6:30 p.m. Join us for an evening filled with great food, fun, and special recognition as we honor the incredible impact of our volunteers. Whether you’ve been with us for years or are just getting started, we can’t wait to celebrate with you. Stay tuned for more details!

If you are interested in joining our volunteer team, scan the QR code below or contact Tarin at (719) 559-3286 or tpotter@partnersinhousing.org.

Volunteer Spotlight: Meet Jack Haflett!

Jack Haflett has been a committed volunteer with Partners in Housing since 2022. He began his journey as a helper in the Childcare Enrichment Center during the annual holiday shopping event. His eagerness to support Partners in Housing programs led him to transition from working with children to assisting with furniture deliveries and pickups which is one of our most important areas of need.

For Jack, self-sufficiency means more than just assistance; it is about providing a well-rounded package of services that truly builds a solid foundation and path to stability for families. Whether he’s picking up donations throughout the community or delivering furniture to families in need, Jack’s impact is palpable. His cheerful disposition and positivity make him a beloved presence for Partners and donors alike.

Jack encourages anyone thinking about volunteering to give it a try.

“It’s more fun than you think! There are so many ways to get involved, and the flexibility makes it easy to fit into your schedule,” Jack said.

When Jack is not volunteering with us, you may find him out ice climbing, skiing, rock climbing, or just enjoying time with his family.

Thank you, Jack, for your willingness to serve your community with such an open heart and great compassion. We’re profoundly grateful and honored to have Jack on our volunteer team!

HOW TO CONTACT PARTNERS IN HOUSING

Program Eligibility & Intake Information:

partnersinhousing.org/get-help/

719-473-8890

Volunteer Opportunities:

partnersinhousing.org/volunteer/

719-559-3286

Donations:

partnersinhousing.org/donate/

719-325-5830

In-Kind Donations:

partnersinhousing.org/give-items/

719-559-3286

Community Presentations:

partnersinhousing.org/give-hope/

719-325-5830

PAYING IT FORWARD HAS TAX BENEFITS!

We’ve made it easier to support Partners in Housing AND save on your Colorado state taxes!

HOMELESS CONTRIBUTION TAX CREDIT

• 25% state income tax credit to Colorado taxpayers

• Gifts made to Partners in Housing of $250+ are eligible, including cumulative gifts

• When donating by check, please include “HCTC” in the memo line of your check and make payable to Partners in Housing. When donating online, under “Gift Preferences”, select the HCTC option.

• The Colorado statute (C.R.S. 39-22-548) for this tax credit requires the last 4 digits of your Social Security Number to process. Please provide this information with your donation.

CHILD CARE CONTRIBUTION TAX CREDIT

• 50% state income tax credit to Colorado taxpayers

• Gifts made to Partners in Housing of $500+ are eligible, including cumulative gifts

• When donating by check, please include “Child Enrichment Center” in the memo line of your check and make payable to Partners in Housing. When donating online, under “Gift Preferences”, select the Child Care Contribution Tax Credit option.

• This tax credit does not require your SSN to be provided during gift processing – you fill in the SSN field yourself when the form is mailed to you.

Always consult with your accountant and/or tax advisor for advice concerning your particular circumstances. If you would like additional information regarding either tax credit, please contact Cathy at cmckinley@partnersinhousing.org or (719) 325-5830.

The post Winter 2025 Newsletter appeared first on Partners in Housing.

For Jack, self-sufficiency means more than just assistance; it is about providing a well-rounded package of services that truly builds a solid foundation and path to stability for families. Whether he’s picking up donations throughout the community or delivering furniture to families in need, Jack’s impact is palpable. His cheerful disposition and positivity make him a beloved presence for Partners and donors alike.

Jack encourages anyone thinking about volunteering to give it a try.

“It’s more fun than you think! There are so many ways to get involved, and the flexibility makes it easy to fit into your schedule,” Jack said.

When Jack is not volunteering with us, you may find him out ice climbing, skiing, rock climbing, or just enjoying time with his family. Thank you, Jack, for your willingness to serve your community with such an open heart and great compassion. We’re profoundly grateful and honored to have Jack on our volunteer team!

The post Volunteer Spotlight: Meet Jack Haflett! appeared first on Partners in Housing.

“I support Partners in Housing because it serves families with children. If children do not have stability, they are not going to be able to thrive. As an educator, I have worked with vulnerable children all my life, both teenagers and young children, and many of those kids came from unstable environments. I have learned firsthand, until children find some stability, whether at school or at home, they are not going to be able to achieve their full potential. It is the children who have no voice that need us most. If we don’t support and nourish and nurture these young kids and make sure they have what they need, what’s going to happen to us as a society? And no child in Colorado Springs should be sleeping in a car.”

In the weeks leading up to our free Holiday Shopping Event for families, Karen coordinated donation deliveries, met donors, set up and organized the gift area for display, coordinated volunteers, and spent countless hours ensuring we had gifts for every child and parent in the program. This steadfast commitment to families is no coincidence- Karen has worked with children of all ages throughout her career as a teacher in District 2 and District 11. She began volunteering with Partners in Housing after becoming acquainted with Partners in Housing’s mission at a Lunch and Learn event several years ago. She has spent many hours in the donation center, reorganizing and creating a more welcoming space for families to shop. As Holiday Shopping comes to a close, Karen has taken initiative and redirected her efforts to maintain our Welcome Baskets for families as they begin their year-long journey in the Family Self-Sufficiency Program.

When asked about the importance of volunteering, Karen shared that, “I think it’s important for people to consider volunteering as a way to support their community; volunteering is really rewarding whether you give an hour a month or an hour a week, it’s going to make a difference in someone’s life. I really believe the quote, ‘I cannot do all the good that the world needs, but the world needs all the good I can do.’ It is absolutely true. I think we all are called to do something meaningful, and something that matters.”

In her free time, Karen also volunteers twice a week assisting a kindergarten class filled with some amazing kiddos in addition to her work to support Partner families. Karen added that all her work could not be accomplished without the help of other hardworking and dedicated Partners in Housing volunteers. She reflected, “there is an amazing spirit of caring and commitment among the Partners in Housing volunteers that is contagious.”

Thank you, Karen, for all that you do in our community! We greatly appreciate you! 

To read our full 2024 Winter Newsletter, please visit here!

Click Here to learn about our volunteer opportunities. If you are interested in volunteering, please reach out to our Volunteer and In-Kind Donation Coordinator, Tarin Hill, at Thill@partnersinhousing.org or (719) 559-3286 to learn more!

The post BEHIND THE SCENES: A Volunteer’s Impact appeared first on Partners in Housing.

“The thing that I like best is that I’ve spent my whole life working with the sole goal of making money, and I just enjoy having an impact on people’s lives. I’ve admired people like my wife, Cindy who is a Special Ed teacher making a direct impact on one person’s life and I’ve just always thought that that was a good thing to move into rather than just making money.”

Steve Brinkman is a wonderfully talented Partners in Housing volunteer that generously gives his time and skills in a variety of ways! With an MBA in Finance from UCCS, a Bachelors in Industrial Engineering from The Ohio State University, and armed with a passion to make a direct impact on a person’s life, he was a natural fit our Money Mentor volunteer position. For the past three years, Steve has been working with families on their personal finances, building upon their knowledge base and collaboratively setting goals on their path to self-sufficiency. Earlier this year, Steve ambitiously completed additional training to become a Certified Credit Counselor (now one of two at Partners in Housing!) becoming even more of an asset to families working on their financial stability!

And yet, the families in our program aren’t the only ones to benefit from Steve’s knack for numbers! Steve joined our agency’s Finance Committee providing financial advice, analysis, and oversight of our organization’s budget.

When Steve isn’t volunteering, you can find him at his business, Signarama, a full-service sign center off the Garden of the Gods exit. For over 20 years, Steve has been leading the charge on delivering high-quality signage, including specialty items like vehicle decals and banners! Our box truck and van have their decal work proudly on display! You also may have had your picture taken in front of a Signarama-produced Step-and-Repeat banner at one of our events!

Thank you, Steve, for all your many ways of support! The Colorado Springs community is a better place because of your efforts!

To learn more about volunteering at Partners in Housing, please check out our Volunteer Page to learn about positions and contact Jillian at (719) 325-5830 or jbirchmeier@partnersinhousing.org to get started!

Read the full Summer 2022 Newsletter Here

The post Volunteer Spotlight: Steve Brinkman appeared first on Partners in Housing.

“We may not be able to change global circumstances, but we can almost always take action and make a difference some arena of life.

I believe taking action, even in small ways, is the key to remaining hopeful and connected to common humanity even while sadness, violence and turmoil simultaneously exist.

I find these questions by “The Art of Gathering” author Priya Parker a useful place to begin as I decide what to do.

What is it that I know how to do?

Where is the need?

How can I help?

I also like to reflect on this quote that’s often attributed to Theodore Roosevelt, but which Roosevelt — in his autobiography — attributes to Squire Bill Widener.

“Do what you can, with what you’ve got, where you are.”

In January, I decided to use what I’ve got by volunteering at Colorado Springs-based nonprofit Partners in Housing, which supports families that are in a housing crisis.

Last fall, while writing articles about nonprofits participating in the Gazette’s Empty Stocking Fund, I learned about the important work Partners in Housing does in our community. The organization’s yearlong program provides their clients — who are almost all women — with safe, affordable housing, allowing them to establish a rental history and giving them stability in their lives.”

To read her full article on Partners in Housing and her experience volunteering, visit the Pikes Peak Courier Here.

To get connected and volunteer with us, visit Here.

This article is written by a dedicated Partners in Housing volunteer, Joanna Zaremba, pictured above.

The post “Do what you can with what you’ve got” appeared first on Partners in Housing.