WSC : Westside CARES

Westside CARES
	Our Mission is... Care and compassion for neighbors in need - today, tomorrow, and beyond. Our Vision is... Westside CARES is a faith-based organization called together in a shared mission to serve by: Providing emergency assistance to neighbors with critical needs Listening to one another, seeking to develop relationships that allow us all to understand the ways in which we can help each other Developing deeper relationships to clarify needs and honor the hope and potential of each person Providing more effective assistance as we strive to overcome barriers to fullness of life Growing with our neighbors' needs Seasonal Projects Back-To-School Backpack Project July 2011 Bi-Annual Food Drives May & Oct. (Currently Suspended) Thanksgiving Baskets Christmas Adopt-A-Family Christmas Unlimited Top of Page
	Our Goal is… to draw different faith communities together, in mutual support, for our shared work of helping our neighbors in need. We work to honor the commandment "Love your neighbor as yourself."
	Our Resources are… the shared commitment of our member churches through volunteers, funds, goods, governance, and prayer. The good will, material support, and respect of many philanthropic entities. Connections and good relationships with many other organizations in our community. Growing relationships with businesses and individuals in our community who appreciate and support our efforts. Valuable insights from and alliances with our neighbors in need. This support allows us to provide resources of food, financial and medical assistance, seasonal needs, referrals and support to our homeless and working poor neighbors here on the west side of Colorado Springs.
	Our Efforts helped… homeless and working poor families last year by providing: rent assistance for 134 households; almost 4,100 bus passes; clothing vouchers for 2,145 men, women and children; utility assistance for 594 households through Project COPE; 135,228 meals through our 4 church-based food pantries plus an additional 21,965 pounds of USDA Commodity distribution through the Trinity UMC Pantry; 4,523 hot meals served; 301 prescriptions filled; 82 exams and 82 pairs of eyeglasses; 47 children immunized; 400 backpacks filled with school supplies, 220 Thanksgiving Baskets; and finally 52 families had a brighter Christmas through our Christmas Adopt-A-Family program. This was accomplished with 16,851 volunteer hours.
	Our Concern is… that the fabric of our society is damaged when an increasing number of our neighbors cannot meet their basic needs for food, shelter, clothes. People of faith understand that this is both an individual's and a community's spiritual crisis.
	Your Help… is critical to our success - as an organization and as a community. Please contact us to learn more about how you, your congregation, your company or your organization can help.
Westside CARES located: 1930 West Colorado Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80904 Phone: (719) 389-0759 - Fax: (719) 475-8949 revised: 02/08/2011