Solid Rock Community Development Corporation (SRCDC) recognizes that food insecurity continues to be a pervasive issue in Southeast Colorado Springs, and it will take persistent efforts to alleviate it. SRCDC endorses a two-tiered approach, emphasizing ongoing access to immediate food support while implementing long-term solutions. While SRCDC’s Food Center regularly distributes food to residents, the forthcoming Aquaponic Farm will promote sustainability of Food Center’s operations and promote long-term solutions to community-grown food sources. Though the community continually voices desire for local and fresh foods, the area’s high desert soil and dry climate make it challenging to produce food with conventional gardening techniques.

Aquaponics is a system of growing crops and fish together in a recirculating water system. Housed in a temperature-controlled greenhouse, the Aquaponic Farm is ideal for growing fresh produce in areas with limited healthy soil. Instead of soil, crops grow in water coming from holding tanks full of fish. It requires minimal labor and produces an annual yield of approximately 24,000 heads of lettuce, 1,200 pounds of tomatoes, and plentiful microgreens. Previous grant awards from the Co Springs Health Foundation and The Colorado Trust enabled SRCDC to construct the greenhouse on previously vacant land owned by Harrison School District Two, proximal to United Way’s Family Success Center and Van Deist Park. At the time of this writing, the project team is working with city and utilities staff to implement final phases of its operating, electrical, and irrigation systems. SRCDC will use the funds to help with the first year needs of the Aquaponic Farm including material for educational classes and outreach, staff time to facilitate crop distribution to SRCDC’s Food Center and other pantry locations, and supply needs for volunteer programs.

Homeward Pikes Peak (HPP)will us the ECB Giving Back - Looking Forward Grant of $5,000 for general operating support from Eastern Colorado Bank to help cover costs associated with providing services that deliver personal development and prosocial behaviors for individuals in Colorado Springs exiting homelessness, including Veterans and individuals with disabilities (including mental health), substance abuse, criminal histories, evictions, and domestic violence issues. Specifically, funds will help support case management, referrals to mental health professionals, and substance abuse treatment for all HPP programs.

Recent data from the 2025 Point-in-Time and Housing Inventory Count demonstrates the crucial need for HPP’s programming. There was a 52% rise in homelessness in El Paso County over the past year, rising from 1,146 individuals in 2024 to 1,745, surpassing the previous record of 1,551 in 2018. The number of unsheltered individuals (those living in encampments or other unsafe conditions) more than doubled this year, reaching 522 people. The chronically homeless population, defined as individuals with long-term disabling conditions who have been homeless for at least a year, also rose substantially, from 282 in 2024 to 644 in 2025. Notably, these figures are likely to represent conservative estimates of true values. The Point-in-Time survey does not include individuals staying in institutions like rehabilitation centers, hospitals, or jails, indicating that actual numbers are likely even higher. This grant from Eastern Colorado Bank will help HPP continue to address this growing need and provide crucial housing and recovery services for these underserved and underreported populations.

Each year, countless young people exit foster care, navigate the justice system, or face the risk of system involvement, confronting significant challenges that can impact their long-term well-being and success. Diakonia serves at-risk youth who face these hurdles, which are often mutually-reinforcing, leading to a negative feedback loop of homelessness, poverty, unemployment, and exploitation. Diakonia’s services address this crucial issue by providing needs based vocational programming and services to youth who have been socially marginalized to help them succeed in the workplace and ultimately in life.

Diakonia will use the ECB Giving Back - Looking Forward $5,000 grant to help meet the increased demand for vocational services for at-risk youth within the community. Each month, Diakonia is forced to turn away approximately 10 young adults referred by agencies within the foster system, the justice system, and alternative high schools across the community because of limited capacity. A grant from Eastern Colorado Bank will help Diakonia achieve its goal of serving 90 at-risk youth in 2025 through education and employment support while maintaining caseloads and workloads that promote the greatest chance of success for all clients.

Limon Child Development Center will use the ECB Giving Back - Looking Forward $4,815.00 to update their technology. They have four computers in the center that are over 10 years old. Two of these are classroom computers to replace with all in one computers which provide a large screen so that children can see educational experience on the computer easily. Educational experiences include children's stretching activities, children's dance videos, and stories. The other two computers are administration computers which are necessary for the daily operation of the center. The current computers are too old to be updated and are obsolete. The cost for all computers will be $5,000. Each classroom has an iPad for documentation of students progress. Two of our current iPads are needing replaced. A new iPad or tablet will cost $500 for a total of $1,000.

They are also needing an air purifier for our there year old classroom. All other classrooms have an air purifier which the teachers have found to help reduce the spread of sickness during cold and flu season. A new air purifier is $600.

They we need to have the sprinkler system tested. They have a wet and dry sprinkler system in our building and it is required to have an internal pipe assessment every 5 years as well as a hydrostatic test. The cost of these tests are $2,220. We would like to have the sprinkler testing completed by the end of September. Our final project is rekeying our building. The keys are the same as when the building opened in 1998. We have had many keys get lost and doors replaced that use a different key. Some doors, the keys get stuck or will not unlock the door correctly. We would like to rekey the building so that one key can be used in all doors and we have security knowing there are not unknown keys out granting others access. Our quote from the locksmith is a cost of $810 to rekey our building.

The special education department at Genoa-Hugo School will use the ECB Giving Back - Looking Forward funds in the amount of $3000 to purchase iPads, protective cases, and styluses to equip paraprofessionals and the special education teachers with modern tools for efficient and accurate data collection on student progress. Paraprofessional play a vital role in collecting behavioral and academic data that informs individualized education plans (IEPs). Currently, data collection relies heavily on paper and pencil methods, which are time-consuming, prone to errors, and hinder real-time data analysis. Transitioning into iPad will dramatically improve this process. Digital data entry reduces time spent on documentation, allowing paraprofessionals to focus more on student interaction. Data can be instantly shared with teachers and specialist, accelerating decision-making, and intervention planning. Digital records are easier to organize, retrieve, and analyze compared to paper files.

Investing in the technology will empower paraprofessionals and the special education teachers to collect higher quality data more efficiently, ultimately enhancing individualized support for students with special needs. We appreciate your consideration of this request to improve educational outcomes through innovative tools.

The Challenger Learning Center of Colorado (CLCC) will use the ECB Giving Back - Looking Forward Grant of $2,500 general operating for CLCC. A general operating grant will support two of CLCC’s flagship programs: 1) The Adopt-a-School program provides state-of-the-art STEM education to Title 1 and underserved elementary schools. 2) The Engineering Pathfinders Academy allows students in grades 8–10 to experience a variety of engineering disciplines in a low-pressure format. CLCC has offered the Pathfinders curriculum in a four-week summer camp for the past two years, and in the 2025–2026 school year, it will provide this service as an afterschool program in Harrison School District 2, which is an underserved district in Colorado Springs. Both of these programs aim to provide world-class STEM education to students throughout the Pikes Peak region, regardless of their socioeconomic status.

Catholic Charities of Central Colorado (CCCC) will use the $5,000 donation to support their Safe and Secure Series  located within the greater Family Connections programming. The series includes a one-hour Infant and Child Safety class to learn more about topics such as car/car seat safety, safe sleep, home/safety products, household poisons, and emergency preparedness. Upon completion, parents choose to receive a car seat, Pack n’ Play or other safety-related item at no cost. The vast majority of families choose a car seat. Parents can now also register to take an additional class that builds upon their learning and knowledge of family strengthening principles. After completion of the additional class, parents can choose another item specifically connected to supporting infant/child health and safety, as well as building the parent/infant bond and secure attachment. Items include strollers, nursing pillows, baby wrap/convertible carriers, baby monitors, swaddle blankets/sleep sacks and humidifiers.

The importance of this program extends beyond safety education; it equips parents with the knowledge and tangible resources needed to create safe, nurturing home environments. For many of the families we serve, the cost of these essential safety items is prohibitive. By removing these financial barriers, CCCC empowers parents to make informed decisions and take preventative measures that reduce the risk of injury and improve long-term child well-being. Additionally, the focus on parent-infant bonding supports healthy attachment and early brain development, both of which are critical to a child’s emotional, social, and cognitive growth. This holistic approach ensures that families not only feel supported but are truly equipped to give their children a safe and secure start in life.