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Support from donors and community partners is helping The Salvation Army restore capacity at the R.J. Montgomery Family Hope Center.
Last summer, budget cuts forced The Salvation Army in Colorado Springs, Colorado, to reduce capacity at the R.J. Montgomery Family Hope Center from 31 family units to 15.
“We had to cut just over $1 million from our budget, and that happened in July,” said Salvation Army El Paso County Coordinator Major Stephen Ball. “It meant layoffs. It meant trimming our shelter rooms down. It ended a 2026 youth summer day camp program. It was hard, and we’re still in the middle of that in a lot of ways, but we started a special campaign and the Lord has brought in a good amount of money.”
The ongoing campaign, known as Hope Needs Help, has raised approximately $800,000 so far. It brings the shelter closer to restoring capacity after last year’s cuts—The Salvation Army is preparing to reopen 10 units.
To generate support, staff took a hands-on approach to fundraising, including reaching out to neighboring churches and hosting open houses and private tours that allowed community members to see the shelter’s impact firsthand.
“This was something that we’ve never done before. Once people come into our facility and see the way we have it set up and the dignity that it gives our clients…people are like, ‘Oh my gosh, you’re doing so much,’” said Family Hope Center Program Manager Jacqueline Baumgartner. “It was just a great way to spread that message and give people an idea of what really goes on here because there’s such a stigma behind the word ‘shelter,’ and it’s just eye-opening.”
Clients were invited to share their testimonies with visiting community members.
“A lot of our clients are always looking for a way to give back to us. And we’re like, ‘No, you don’t need to do anything. We’re here for you and here to serve you,’” Baumgartner said. “It was a special moment for them to feel like, ‘I’m supporting this program.’”
These stories speak to a more than 70 percent success rate in getting families into more stable housing within 90 days of entering the shelter.
“There are so many stories of how difficult some of these circumstances are that clients face,” Ball said. “Yet, the staff work so well with them, and things get turned around, and they find themselves on a much better platform.”
The shelter’s team gave more than 15 tours, and each ended with a donor giving $1,000 or more.
“We just want this place to be a place of healing and love for all of our clients when they come in. We want to make sure that they feel safe and heard while they’re here.”
Jacqueline Baumgartner
“It was shocking. Every time we got a check…we were all crying tears of joy and just in awe of how much this community steps up to help one another,” Baumgartner said. “We have a story to tell, and people want to get involved.”
One anonymous donor had heard about the shelter’s budgetary challenges and initially dropped off a $5,000 check. After Baumgartner gave the donor and their spouse a tour, she said the couple added about $200,000 to their initial donation.
This was one of two instances in which anonymous donors stepped up to support the shelter during the campaign. According to Ball, approximately half of the $800,000 raised was from private donors.
In addition to individual community member donations, the local Rotary Club, which helped set up many of the private tour and open house events, contributed $50,000. The El Pomar Foundation in Colorado Springs donated $100,000 as well.
“It was really super heartwarming and encouraging. We have total gratitude for all of those who stepped up,” Ball said. “The biggest message in the Hope Needs Help campaign is that God is in this business and he’s watching over the work that’s being done. He cares for those who are lost and hurting and homeless and it is remarkable.”
Now, with these funds, the shelter plans to hire the staff necessary to reopen 10 units as cold winter weather begins in Colorado.
“We’ve had a very mild winter so far, praise the Lord,” Ball said. “The number one thing, though, in getting the rooms back up is getting more families safely off the streets during the coldest part of the year.”
The reduced capacity over the last few months has also been felt heavily by the community, as the need for shelter continues.
“It was a huge blow to us having to cut back those rooms. I remember the day that we started doing it, and we were turning away some 15 families a day,” Baumgartner said. “It was just heartbreaking over and over and over again.”
While the funds raised will allow the shelter to operate closer to full capacity through October, the fundraising efforts continue to ensure the long-term sustainability of the program. For now, The Salvation Army is thankful for the impact it will have on families as units reopen.
“We just want this place to be a place of healing and love for all of our clients when they come in,” Baumgartner said. “We want to make sure that they feel safe and heard while they’re here.”
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