CENTRAL SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — Volunteers at The People's Church in Central Springs gather every Tuesday night to serve home-cooked meals to unhoused community members — offering not just food, but a reminder that someone sees them.
For Bella, who has been unhoused for more than 4 years, a meal is not always a guarantee.
"It's not every day though," Bella said.
She says most people don't understand the true difficulty of life without a home.
"If people actually saw what any of us go through on a daily, maybe then they'll understand it's more difficult. It's not as easy as getting a job, getting inside. It's not that easy like people think it is," Bella said.
On Tuesday, the meal from The People's Church was the first Bella had eaten all day — a sacrifice she makes without hesitation for her dog.
"This is my first meal actually of the day, yesterday I was more concerned about my dog, my child. My baby eats every day, every day she has food. I don't. I'll starve before I let her," Bella said.
Even when food comes her way, Bella passes it along.
"A lot of us share all of our food. There are days that I've even had food delivered, homemade food brought to me specifically, and I give it to my brother," Bella said, "I give and give."
I joined Michele Reckel and a team of volunteers as they prepped and packaged meals before heading out for distribution. The relationship the church has built with the unhoused community is what keeps the program running.
"They do trust us. They believe in what we do. We have a relationship with them, so if something is not right, they will let us know," Reckel said.
Reckel said the mission goes far deeper than food.
"It's a way to let them know they're loved. It's not just the food they're getting. We'll let them know we do love you. We do see you," Reckel said.
She, and over a dozen other volunteers, get together at 5:00 p.m. to package food and then leave to give it out to unhoused people around the area, like at Monument Valley Park.
"When I go out there, I'll sit and I'll talk to them. Majority either were raped when they're young or abused. It hurts my heart and I wish I could help every single one of them, but I can't, but I will listen to the story. I will remember their name, and I'm not there to judge. I'm just there to love and show them other people do love you. There are kind people out there like our volunteers that take their time to to do what we're doing," said Reckel.
Robert Brown now walks the same trails as a volunteer — but there was a time when he was in the same position as Bella.
"During my homelessness I was hungry one day and somebody told me that this church feeds the homeless, so I came for the meal and I ended up liking the people because I felt the sincerity of what they were doing," Brown said.
Now he gives back — and introduces people to a program called the Chain Breakers.
"It's for anybody struggling with any type of addiction or any trauma. We also provide a warm meal on that day for the people who come, you know, who are less fortunate," Brown said.
The anonymous group meets at the People's Church, 402 Conejos Street, every Monday at 6:30 pm. The group is always looking for donations to continue making meals and providing resources to those who are unhoused around Colorado Springs.
