Submitted by our Mission Coordinators
Mission/Outreach is an integral part of VGCC ministries. We will pursue opportunities that are denominational and ecumenical, local and global, participatory and financial. Our mission and outreach will make a difference – empowering recipients, and inspiring givers to act in the spirit of Christ; exemplifying The Three Great Loves: Love of Neighbor, Love of Children, and Love of Creation.
Our local missions for 2025 were The People's Pantry at the Chinook Center and Sandwiches and Smiles, Family Promise, Inside-Out Youth Services, Los Pobres, and One Nation Walking Together.
Chinook Center is a progressive mission-driven community gathering space that empowers and connects people and a dozen grassroots organizations working for social, economic and environmental justice in the Pikes Peak region. Vista Grande supports The People's Grocery, which distributes bags of groceries and offers household supplies from 12-2 on the first and third Sunday. The bags include fresh meat, fruits, vegetables, bread and non-perishables. Chinook had to reduce from every Sunday provision and from delivering to shut-ins due to a reduction in goods available along with increased demand. This service is supported by Care and Share of Southern Colorado as well as by food and monetary donations from the public. During Advent we collected personal hygiene items and delivered 5 boxes or bags of items to the center.
Spreading Smiles and Sandwiches
This year we have partnered with Ryzing Up which provides a hot meal on the third Sunday and we provide sandwiches, snacks, clothing, blankets and personal supplies to the unhoused folks as they leave. Joyce Michael, Linda Riddell, Colton Riddell and Dave Lee have delivered or distributed during the year. Dana Zimmerman ordered and arranged delivery of free Bombas socks.
Vista Grande makes about 75 peanut butter and jam sandwiches on the Saturday before the third Sunday. Typically, between 5 and 10 folks gather to make and package sandwiches. Each maker brings one loaf of sandwich bread. During 2025, 13 different people participated. In October the worship service consisted of making sandwiches and including a note of encouragement with each sandwich. At various times as requested, the Covenantal Partners and Carolyn Gunning's sorority donated smooth peanut butter and jam or preserves. (Jelly is hard to spread)
Sandwiches and Smiles and HOPE COS - Linda Riddell
Colton and I volunteer every Sunday afternoon with the group that receives the PB&J sandwiches / Smiles and Sandwiches. We help serve the meal and carry things for set up and break down. This has been a wonderful thing to do with Colton. The guests love seeing him and the other (older) boys who volunteer. This mission is important to me because we can see the same people week after week and offer different kinds of support to them. It's also meeting an immediate need for food. Other groups show up occasionally but the Ryzing Up group is there every week.
Also, I volunteer with Hope COS on Friday mornings for their street outreach. This group gave out the First Aid/ personal care kits that VGUCC funded. So far, I believe we have provided 40 kits. Two friends of mine have offered to fund the next 40 kits in the new year
Family Promise of Colorado Springs exists to prevent and end homelessness for families with children. We provide safe, compassionate shelter, prevention assistance, and supportive services that empower families to regain stability and independence. We believe that every family deserves a safe place to call home and that community support is the key to long-term change.
In 1997, a network of 13 congregations across Colorado Springs came together to launch the Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN) locally. Each congregation opened its doors four times a year, offering shelter and meals to families in crisis. This model allowed families to stay together, hosted one week at a time in converted classroom spaces, rather than being separated in traditional shelters. During the day, IHN staff provided case management and support services.
As the organization grew, we adopted the name Family Promise of Colorado Springs in 2015, aligning with the national Family Promise network and expanding our focus to include homelessness prevention, mental health support, stabilization programs, and long-term housing solutions.
Today, they continue to build on that legacy:
There were many changes in 2024 and 2025.
The time of COVID and all the transitions during that time, led Family Promise to obtain and renovate the spaces at Nevada into what is called The Family Day Center.
The Family Day Center:
In 2024, they completed a full remodel of the Family Day Center where case management and shelter services are provided. Each family now has a private room, access to laundry and kitchen facilities, and a bathroom. The Center gives families a space to feel safe, share community, and stay connected to the services that support their transition to permanent housing. Zach Davis was one of the pioneers for the Family Day Center and spent many hours making this positive change.
How do we become relational with the families?
Churches still are asked to make meals on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Meals are dropped off at 4:15 pm. That way the meals are ready to eat or in some cases, ready to re-heat when families come home. There are times that church members can come and hang out with a families at The Center. These times need to be pre-arranged as this is their home and we are the guests.
In 2025 Vista Grande:
Los Pobres is a charity located in Southern Colorado. The charity's mission is to provide food, shelter, medical, utilities, education, and various other types of support to Eastern Colorado migrant workers. VGCC continues to be a supporter of Los Pobres Center near Pueblo Colorado, which meets the daily survival needs of migrant workers with low-paying jobs—the majority of whom live below the poverty level and cannot access assistance through the channels open to American citizens.
We continued to be in relationship with Sister Nancy and the ministry she provides. On August 2, we dropped off clothing donations.
On November 6, I carpooled with Dave Nath and met Sister Nancy for the first time. We dropped off kids' clothes, hoodies, blankets, towels, and Know Your Rights cards. We learned that Work Visa renewals are being denied for many of the local workers.
In December, after we received the Mission Fest items, I dropped off Walmart gift cards and caught up with Sister Nancy.
At IOYS, we are dedicated to providing quality programs and services to LGBTQIA2+ youth in Colorado Springs and the surrounding counties.
What a honor it's been to be associated with Inside Out Youth Services. I felt a personal need to be more giving and involved in community service and with Kayan's departure it seemed that was the still, small voice I was waiting for.
We were a bit late to help with their prom but made up for it with generous donations from our congregation of snack food. I took 3 large boxes and a few bags to the center and they were most appreciative. Our financial donation of $200 was given in August and was used to help with their fund-raising breakfast.
In December, IOYS requested items to be used in their Christmas Store. Again, our congregation stepped up with food, arts and craft supplies, stuffed animals and lots of makeup! The youth were already placing dibs on what they wanted as I brought in 4 boxes of treasures. I am looking forward to the year ahead and hope to be more involved with the IOYS and helping where and when needed.
I am Vista Grande's liaison with One Nation Walking Together. They are a local non-profit organization that provides support to Native American neighbors in our community and people living on reservations in seven states. One Nation is committed to making a difference in the lives of Native people.
The people of VGCC have been very generous in their support of three separate activities sponsored in 2025. First was the hygiene/food drive in May; then the school supply drive (shared with Los Pobres) in July. Finally in the last part of November and the first part of December was a toy drive. I'm not very good at estimating the value of donations, but in every case my car was stuffed to overflowing (both trunk and passenger seat) with hygiene/food items, school supplies, or toys (valued at $20 apiece).
A point I had not considered was that feminine hygiene products are both hygiene products and school supplies. Without them, girls cannot attend school continuously. This is a fact I would not have thought of had it not been pointed out to me by my contacts at One Nation.
Thank you again for your generous support. We're the little church that could!!
A personal note from One Nation's Kathy Turzi.
“You have asked for an update on what the impact has been this year with Vista Grande's
love
and support. I can tell you your impact is huge!!! The school supplies you all collected and
delivered assisted many kiddos as they entered back to the new school year with the tool in
hand that they needed. The Christmas gifts provided joy to young ones who may not have had a
gift without your heart to provide them one. We had a young single mommy locally in need of
a few gifts for her young ones as she could not get gifts herself. This was a blessing for
her little family! The quarterly financial gifts from the church helps beyond measure to
keep our mission going. Without your support we would not be able to extend our reach to the
people we do on and off the reservations. The members from the church that show up at our
door all the time with donations from home to ship on the trucks is a huge help as well.
Vista Grande has always been and always will be one of my most favorite places to attend and
the people are always so warm and inviting. The love that is shared from the community is so
wonderful and We all thank you so much for all you do!!
Thank you for making education better for the children and for Christmas a brighter day!
Thank you for making the everyday life of those we serve a more livable day with comfort and
support from all of you.”
Total for Mission Giving: $43,251
* The mission totals are higher than the treasurer's report because this includes cash donations that were submitted directly to the mission recipient. These numbers are rounded up.
These five missions are UCC-related and not local organizations or initiatives: