PUEBLO — A homeless outreach group is serving up dozens of hot meals in Pueblo every week, and they want to continue their mission.
For the past seven years, the group "Everybody Counts" has been serving lunch to those in need every Sunday afternoon, and now that they've found a permanent spot to do it at Fifth and Santa Fe, they want to welcome folks to come out and enjoy a meal and a prayer in good company.
"It means so much to them that we care enough to come every Sunday," said Mark Griego, Co-pastor of Victory Life Ministries.
It all starts with a prayer before volunteers get to work making hot dogs and burgers.
Even the owner of an ice cream truck showed up to give away free treats.
"It feels good to be able to help somebody and everybody needs food," said Roy Seeley, a member of the Board of Elks, who helped secure the parking lot.
"Everybody needs something to keep them going throughout the day and throughout the week."
And this collaboration is what makes it so successful.
"17 churches involved, it's not just one church," said Griego.
"It's about ten businesses involved. And then we have about 100 volunteers."
All this food comes from donations.
"Ut's just about financing, you know. It takes a lot of people to finance," Seeley added.
"We did it this week and it costs like 300 bucks for one meal."
But the return is even greater.
"It's worth the cost," Griego emphasized.
"It's worth the sacrifice to come and invest in somebody to tell them that [...] we care and they are somebody."
"It helps out a lot," said Mark Segura, who comes to get a meal.
"These people are good people. They say prayer all the time. I like prayer, too. I'm thankful that they're here."
Thanks to support from the Board of the Elks, this group has been setting up shop at the Elks Lot since May, and they plan to permanently stay at this location well into the future.
