Warning: This Episode May Inspire Sudden Acts of Kindness in Colorado Springs
It is Giving Tuesday, and Carly and Lauren are back together after three weeks apart (one of them was in Australia, the other was holding down the fort) to share the six Colorado Springs nonprofits they personally support, believe in, and think you should know about. From an organization keeping domestic violence and human trafficking survivors safe, to a program teaching kids as young as four how to set boundaries and recognize unsafe situations, to a foundation wrapping foster families in community support with a 100 percent high school graduation rate among the kids they serve, this episode is a love letter to the organizations making Colorado Springs better every single day. Plus: holiday picks including Cookies with Santa at Meanwhile Block, a community carol sing-along at the Mighty Exchange, and a skills day at Fountain Valley School.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
Carly and Lauren each share three nonprofits they personally support and explain why each one matters to them and to the Colorado Springs community. Lauren covers Tessa, which supports survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking with housing, legal services, and safety planning; Fostering Hope, which wraps around foster families with a team of volunteer aunts and uncles and boasts a 100 percent high school graduation rate among the kids in their program; and Goodwill of Colorado, where 90 cents of every dollar donated goes directly back into programs including a free IT certification program, an adult high school with childcare and transportation, and a day program for people with intellectual disabilities. Carly covers Kid Power, which teaches personal safety skills to kids ages four through 18 using age-appropriate methods including puppets for the youngest participants; Children's Hospital of Colorado's Colorado Springs location, which served more than 57,000 unique patients and completed over 6,300 surgeries in 2024; and Bike COS, which advocates for safe and connected bicycle infrastructure across the Pikes Peak region. The episode also opens with a genuinely sweet segment about a school giving project that has kids doing one small act of kindness every day for three weeks straight.
Timestamps:
00:00 Reunited after three weeks and an Australia trip
04:00 The great giving back project: one small act of kindness every day for three weeks
07:00 Tessa: supporting domestic violence and human trafficking survivors in Colorado Springs
12:00 Kid Power: teaching personal safety skills to kids ages 4 to 18
18:00 Fostering Hope: wrapping around foster families with community and support
24:00 Children's Hospital of Colorado, Colorado Springs: how to donate toys and make fleece blankets
30:00 Goodwill of Colorado: IT Lift program, adult high school, and 90 cents of every dollar back into programs
36:00 Bike COS: advocating for safe cycling infrastructure in the Pikes Peak region
42:00 Picks of the Week: Fountain Valley School skills day, Cookies with Santa at Meanwhile Block, and Carols Cocktails and Cocoa at the Mighty Exchange
The Six Nonprofits: Everything You Need to Know
Tessa supports survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking in Colorado Springs, where 35 domestic violence calls are made to police every single day. Their services include housing support, legal services, childcare, and safety planning for women, men, and trafficking survivors. Lauren has served on the committee for Pasta in the Park, their annual late-August fundraiser. Learn more and donate at tessacs.org.
Kid Power teaches personal safety skills to kids ages 4 through 18, covering boundary setting, speaking up, and recognizing unsafe situations in age-appropriate ways including puppet-based learning for the youngest participants. Carly, Lauren, and most of their kids are all alumni. Workshops are available on weekends and through school programs. Their annual Chocoholic Frolic fundraiser happens each spring. Learn more at kidpowercs.org (include the cs to avoid landing on the national site).
Fostering Hope builds extended family networks around foster families, with volunteer teams who take kids to appointments, bring meals, and show up consistently. Kids who go through the Fostering Hope program graduate from high school at a 100 percent rate, compared to roughly 60 percent nationally for kids in the foster system. Support never ages out: they continue helping young people into adulthood. Learn more and get involved at fosteringhopefoundation.org.
Children's Hospital of Colorado, Colorado Springs served more than 57,000 unique patients and 150,000 total visits in 2024, completed 6,300 surgeries, and handled nearly 38,000 emergency department visits across 40 plus pediatric specialties. In addition to monetary donations, the hospital accepts brand new toys and plush items (no weapons, no gift wrapping, no collectibles). To schedule a donation drop-off, contact the Association of Volunteers at 719-305-7042. Families can also make fleece blankets following the guidelines on the hospital's website. A wish list by age group will be linked in the show notes.
Goodwill of Colorado returns 90 cents of every donated dollar directly to their programs, which include the IT Lift free certification program, an adult high school with childcare and transportation where graduates earn a real diploma rather than a GED, services for people with disabilities and seniors, and the Possibilities program on Garden of the Gods Road, a full-day community with a city council, art classes, and fitness programming for people with intellectual disabilities. Clothing donations, volunteer time, and financial support all make a direct difference.
Bike COS advocates for safe and connected bicycle infrastructure across the Pikes Peak region for cyclists of all ages and abilities. They work to unite businesses, organizations, and individuals around cycling, teach safe riding skills, and celebrate Colorado Springs' growing cycling community. Support them through membership, volunteering, or attending their events. Learn more at bikecOS.org.
Picks of the Week:
Fountain Valley School Skills Day and Open House (Lauren's pick) Saturday, December 6 from 10am to 1pm, open to middle schoolers. Meet coaches, tour the facilities, and try out climbing, basketball, and volleyball. Many Colorado Springs families have never been to the Fountain Valley School campus and this is a great reason to go. Details at fvs.edu/athletics/skills-day, linked in the show notes.
Cookies with Santa with Colorado Springs Moms Collective (Lauren's pick) Sunday, December 7 at Meanwhile Block. Features cookie decorating, hot cocoa, winter crafts, sensory stations, a meet and greet with a winter princess, and an intimate ticketed visit and professional photo with Santa. Tickets sell out so grab them early at cospringsmom.com.
Carols, Cocktails and Cocoa Sing-Along at the Mighty Exchange (Lauren's pick) Sunday from 4pm to 6pm. A free, family-friendly community sing-along with a live band and songbooks passed around the room. The hotel will be fully decorated for the holidays. Bring your people, or just yourself. No singing ability required, as Lauren is living proof.
Sponsors:
Core Collective just celebrated their second birthday and is up for Best Pilates Studio in the Best of Springs. Vote for them using the link in the show notes, and use promo code SPRINGSANDTHINGS at checkout for three classes at $30. Visit corecollectivecos.com.
Modern Interior Company is a full service interior design firm in Colorado Springs helping homeowners focus on the updates that make the biggest visual impact, with a modern and elevated approach that feels doable rather than overwhelming. Learn more at moderninterior.co.
Key Quotes:
"You never age out of Fostering Hope." -- Lauren, on the organization's lifelong support model
"You might see a bike and have no idea what that bike literally did for somebody today." -- Carly (paraphrased from the PikeRide episode, echoed in spirit here)
"These are just a little sampling of the many organizations that we love and that love Colorado Springs back." -- Lauren
About Springs and Things:
Springs and Things is Colorado Springs' go-to local podcast for dining, arts, events, and community stories. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, leave a five star review, and share this episode with someone who loves The Springs as much as we do.
