CENTRAL SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — More than 53,000 people across Colorado are facing homelessness, according to the Colorado Department of Local Affairs. In El Paso County alone, more than 1,400 people have experienced homelessness this year according to the 2026 Point In Time survey.
See more about the 2026 Point In Time survey:
But I had the chance to sit down with Springs Rescue Mission CEO Travis Williams, who spent 24 hours on a bench raising awareness about the issue. It marks the second year he has taken on the challenge.
Williams said the experience was far from easy — and that the first hour was the hardest.
"It also was a reminder to me, almost a metaphor for what our guests go through, is that you hit those hard times and it's that initial start that's often the hardest," Williams said.
I spent 30 minutes on the bench during our conversation — a fraction of the 24 hours Williams committed to the cause.
Working as a reporter in downtown Colorado Springs, I've seen the reality of homelessness firsthand — from people resting in Acacia Park to conversations that have been truly eye-opening.
Williams said the conversations happening on the bench have resonated with those who were watching nearby, not just the two of us.
"There's a space where we've had different guests and particularly last night after we wrapped up a little bit, I was talking with some of the guests and they were, they were saying how these conversations have unlocked something new for them," Williams said.
One of those people is Danie Delice, who says what she witnessed hit close to home.
"When I see everybody moving around, it is not just about themselves, it's about someone else and it's that selfless behavior and character that I love and I really resonate with that because I am a servant at heart," Delice said.
Delice says she experienced homelessness for months.
"I've experienced what it feels like to not have a support system and to not have a way to get out of that," Delice said.
She didn't just share her story with me — she also shared it with Williams on the bench. She said through programs at the Rescue Mission, Delice gained skills she didn't have before.
"There was a program here going into the educational opportunities that is offered. Before I came here, I didn't know how to drive a forklift, but I know how to drive a forklift. So that's one of the positions I would be looking for when I'm ready to apply," Delice said.
Now, she hopes to continue giving back to the community that helped her.
"I would like to continue to create impact in the community that has helped me previously and continues to help others, and give them a sense of purpose, because we all have a purpose," Delice said.
Williams says many people have a narrow picture of what homelessness looks like — and people who are served at Springs Rescue Mission tell him they want to change that perspective.
"They go that's not me. Like I could be your sister, I could be your brother, I could be your grandmother, and I want you to see me," Williams said.
And I agree. Through many stories I've covered about Springs Rescue Mission, I think of the people who have moved past homelessness and are now thriving.
Watch the stories of people who have grown since getting out of homelessness:
