1 year after major changes, The Place says it’s helping more youth in Colorado Springs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) - One year after making major changes to its services, The Place says it is helping more young people find housing, support and stability.

The Colorado Springs nonprofit serves youth experiencing homelessness through housing, outreach and its drop-in center. Last year, the organization closed its shelter and shifted resources into other programs.

CEO Chris Johnson said those changes have helped the organization reach more young people. Johnson said nearly three times as many youth are now using the drop-in center, and that The Place is currently housing 110 young people.

For Christopher Ulloa, the support came at a critical time.

Ulloa said he struggled with homelessness, addiction and uncertainty about his future before connecting with The Place. He said the organization helped him return to school, earn his GED and begin working toward a career in construction.

Outreach Case Manager Kayla Cohen said many of the young people she works with face challenges such as high housing costs, difficulty finding jobs and strained family relationships. Cohen said The Place works to connect youth with housing, employment assistance and other support before those challenges become larger barriers.

Johnson said the organization plans to continue growing its current services. While reopening a shelter could be considered in the future, he said The Place’s current focus is helping as many young people as possible through housing, outreach and support programs.