The Springs Rescue Mission provides food, shelter, clothing and services to the Colorado Springs homeless population. A newly constructed kitchen and dining space serve as the starting point for individuals to begin their journey out of poverty, homelessness, unemployment and addiction.

The 10,000-sq-ft kitchen and dining facility and a 3,175-sq-ft welcome center enable the mission to better serve its clients. The welcome center allows a single point of access to the shelter. Construction involved renovating the existing kitchen into the welcome center and enclosing the site with fencing and associated landscaping and site improvements. 

Photo by Fred FuhrMeister

The previous kitchen at the Springs Rescue Mission could serve only about 100 people per hour. The new 2,500-sq-ft facility can serve 400 to 500 people an hour and offers new meals three times a day, a huge change from the previous format with one meal served for four to six hours each day. The 5,000-sq-ft dining hall houses between 180 and 200 seats with a flow-through serving line, and its entryway doubles as a warming area for guests waiting in line, a critical feature during the long winter months. The new building also houses classrooms for culinary arts education and job skills training. 

Photo by Fred FuhrMeister

In addition to meals and a safe place to sleep, Springs Rescue Mission offers clothing, showers, pet care, job counseling and several other critical health and financial resources. It sees more than 1,400 families in a year, which can create a large influx of pedestrian traffic on the campus. One challenge the project team planned for was unexpected visitors crossing onto the construction site or distracting the workers. The facility’s visitors often experience mental health challenges and addiction, which can alter clear thinking. The project team identified these potential challenges ahead of time, resulting in zero altercations and zero injuries to workers or visitors.