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• Struggling families find relief at new care center building Play Video

  February 29, 2012 6:52 PM

  Thousands in Pueblo are living in poverty and a non-profit that helps feed the hungry says the demand for services keeps growing. Today the Pueblo Cooperative Care Center opened a new, larger office in Downtown Pueblo to help meet those needs. For desperate families the center is a symbol... more »

• Two WIC offices to close in El Paso County

  February 28, 2012 1:53 PM

  El Paso County Public Health will close two of its Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) centers in Colorado Springs by May 1. Clients and staff of the two locations will relocate to Public Health's main offices at 1675 W. Garden of the Gods Road. The move is designed to save... more »

• Number of poor grows in U.S.

  January 5, 2011 3:12 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - The number of poor people in the U.S. is millions higher than previously known, with one in 6 Americans - many of them 65 and older - struggling in poverty due to rising medical care and other costs. Preliminary census figures released Wednesday show that government... more »

• Colorado taxpayers may subsidize pot cards for poor

  October 20, 2010 11:29 AM

  Medical marijuana cards in Colorado cost $90 - but state health officials are hearing testimony Wednesday on lowering that rate for the poor. The Colorado Board of Health is planning to drop the fee for marijuana cards for patients in poverty. The new indigent rates come after complaints that... more »

• Census finds record gap between rich and poor

  September 28, 2010 8:11 AM

  The income gap between the richest and poorest Americans grew last year to its widest amount on record. New census figures show that young adults and children in particular struggled to stay afloat in the recession. The top-earning 20 percent of Americans - those making more than $100,000 each... more »

• Report: More than half Colorado roads in poor shape

  September 17, 2010 8:43 AM

  A new assessment of Colorado's road conditions says that 52 percent of the roads maintained by the state are in poor condition, the first time more than half the roads were found in that shape. The Colorado Department of Transportation has assessed the roads statewide for 10 years. The... more »

• Colorado weatherizes nearly 3,400 homes

  July 8, 2010 8:38 AM

  State and local agencies have weatherized nearly 3,400 homes in Colorado, triggering full access to the state's $79.5 million in stimulus funds for the work. Gov. Bill Ritter and Department of Energy officials noted Colorado's progress in a conference call Wednesday with the media. Annual program funds have paid... more »

• Flower beds become veggie gardens at City Hall

  June 1, 2010 8:41 AM

  The flower beds outside Colorado Springs City Hall are just one example of budget cuts. The city sliced the money to plant flowers, but that doesn't mean the beds will remain empty. A group of volunteers is using the space to plant a vegetable garden to grow food for... more »

• Aspen area adds $20,000 to emergency aid fund

  May 13, 2010 8:56 AM

  Pitkin County commissioners have agreed to put $20,000 more in a fund offering one-time help to residents struggling to pay bills like their rent or mortgages. The Pitkin County Emergency Assistance Fund has already used up $20,000 budgeted for 2010. County commissioners voted Tuesday to allocate $20,000 more from... more »

• Students bring attention to homeless

  April 13, 2010 12:53 PM

  A student club at Pueblo Community College is trying to help the homeless in tough economic times. PCC's PS CARE Club will conduct its eighth annual "Building Bridges" sleep out from 7 p.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Saturday in the college's outdoor amphitheater. The purpose is to raise awareness... more »

• More families depend on school lunches

  March 28, 2010 11:53 AM

  For a couple tight weeks after taking in her sixth-grade stepson, Lisa Lewis fretted about how to pay for his school lunches. Unable to find a full-time job, the 37-year-old works part-time at a Kansas City, Kan., daycare, earning minimum wage. On that money alone, she supports herself, her... more »

• Camping ban on Council agenda today

  February 9, 2010 8:28 AM

  The Colorado Springs City Council is scheduled to vote today on whether to place a ban on camping in public places. The ordinance seems aimed particularly at camping along Fountain Creek. Several hundred people are living in a makeshift tent city this winter, and while the problem isn't... more »

• Some homeless have trouble getting into shelters

  December 8, 2009 10:50 PM

  As we enter another day of sub zero temperatures, many homeless will flock to local shelters to get out of the cold. But not all of them do. "Everyday we run into numerous people that are either highly intoxicated or obviously have been drinking quite a bit." says Officer M.J.... more »

• An inside look at homeless "Tent City"

  December 7, 2009 6:28 PM

  Troy is one of literally hundreds of homeless who live along banks of Fountain Creek. Sub zero temperatures make every day along the creek bed a living hell. "We're trying to eat, keep warm and survive until the next day," he says. Troy tells us every penny he gets... more »

• Coats being collected for needy in El Paso County

  November 5, 2009 1:18 PM

  There are six drop-off locations in El Paso County for the annual Coats for Colorado coat drive. New or gently used coats are donated, cleaned for free by dry cleaners, then given to the needy here in Colorado. You may donate coats at these locations through November: ¨ American... more »

• Colorado lawmakers consider measures to cut poverty

  October 20, 2009 12:41 PM

  Colorado lawmakers are considering a package of bills aimed at reducing the number of people in poverty. Proposed measures being considered Tuesday by the Economic Opportunity Poverty Reduction Task Force include one that would allow people claiming the earned income tax credit to collect their refunds before other tax refunds.... more »

• Apply now for Thanksgiving food baskets in Pueblo

  October 5, 2009 2:09 PM

  Thanksgiving is still almost two months away, but now is the time to apply for a food basket if you're having trouble making ends meet. Tom & Louie's Cupboard in Pueblo is accepting applications Oct. 5 - Nov. 5. The application process is being handled by the Boys &... more »

• Child poverty rate in Pueblo highest in state

  September 30, 2009 1:39 PM

  Colorado's child poverty rate is among the fastest growing in the country, according to new data released by the U.S. Census Bureau. Also, among cities in the state, Pueblo has the highest child poverty rate at 30.6%. "The implications of poverty on a child's life are widespread and long-lasting,"... more »