‘It reminds us of our humanity’: Springs Rescue Mission hosts annual Christmas banquet for Colorado Springs homeless community

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) - At a time when many experiencing homelessness struggle a little extra, a Colorado Springs shelter hosted a dinner to help build community and hand out resources.

The Springs Rescue Mission hosted its Christmas banquet, a free event open to anyone who needed help.

Travis Williams, the CEO of the Springs Rescue Mission, said the holidays can be especially hard for those experiencing homelessness. He said many have dealt with, or are dealing with issues around addiction and broken relationships.

“They can often feel even more desperate than any other day of the year,” Williams said, “and that’s why we want to do everything we can to wrap around folks, and perhaps give them the gift of not just a traditional Christmas meal, but hopefully a pathway out of homelessness as we enter 2026.”

Williams said they provided food to hundreds of people. In addition, he said the shelter also handed out winter weather gear to help people in the cold nights.

“Perhaps at Christmas, more than any other time, it reminds us of our humanity. It reminds us of the blessings that we have,” he said.

That sentiment was echoed by Gary Rafferty, a volunteer.

“My wife and I volunteer here regularly, but it’s more special during the holidays,” Rafferty said.

He said they understand hardship, so they try to help where they can.

“We’ve had some challenges in our life, and we’re blessed by the Holy Spirit to give us the heart to serve,” Rafferty said. “When you think times are really tough for you, they’re actually a lot more for people in your community than you realize. So serving here really puts things in perspective.”

Williams said the spirit of giving is especially important during the holidays, but he emphasizes the fact that the Rescue Mission works to help people year-round.

He said he hopes to give as many people as possible a path out of homelessness or, if nothing else, make the challenges people experiencing homelessness face a little easier to navigate.

“I would encourage any neighbor who needs support to reach out because there are good resources in this community,” Williams said.

To learn more about the Springs Rescue Mission, or to donate, click here.