Empty Stocking Fund: Mercy’s Gate
Mercy’s Gate helps approximately 25,000 neighbors yearly in the El Paso County area.
They are called neighbors by the ministry staff. The word client doesn’t emphasize that those in need are fellow residents of the county. They could be a soldier, a minimum wage worker, someone undergoing an illness, a retired veteran.
“Our goal is to prevent homelessness,” explained Jason Dilger, Mercy’s Gate executive director. “We are working with a sense of urgency.”
The clients are mainly those who are homed, but fear losing it. Mercy’s Gate provides many services to lessen a financial emergency such as rent and mortgage assistance, help with medical needs and prescriptions, clothing vouchers, food pantry, utility bills, career assistance, and referrals to educational programs.
The ministry has a holistic approach by helping with financial, physical, emotional and spiritual needs. Sometimes any of those can mean the difference between having a roof over their heads or not. “We love and listen well and meet our neighbors where they are at,” Dilger said.
The ministry spends about $54,000 a month in just housing help alone, he said.
Many of the families are the working poor, but even two paychecks can place them at the federal poverty line. All it takes is a large doctor bill or high heating costs, or an increase in rent, to wreak economic and emotional havoc in their lives, Dilger said.
The ministry was started by a group of churches and receives donations and volunteer support from them. But clients and needs keep growing as the middle class shrinks, and additional community donations are vital to the mission. This is especially true these days with living costs going up. Dilger noted that the federal poverty level for a family of four is $26,500. In Colorado Springs, that is 11.7% of the population, and in El Paso County, 8.8%, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
This year Mercy’s Gate will provide uncooked Thanksgiving meal baskets. The ministry’s Home for The Holidays program will provide $500 to $2,000 for a one-time December housing assistance for those they meet with personally from Nov. 29 to Dec. 31. (At other times of the year housing assistance is also available.)
“We’re having our busiest time as COVID benefits wane,” Dilger said. “It’s just a taste of what is going to happen in the future.”
“People come to us who have been financially well off, but suddenly something happens,” Dilger said. “Poverty isn’t just an isolated financial problem. It affects many aspects of life: emotional, spiritual, physical, relational and career.”
He was moved recently by a woman who was referred to Mercy’s Gate by one of their partner churches. Her marriage was failing and she and her two children were facing homelessness even though she had once had a well-paid professional career. Over the year, Mercy’s Gate provided various services, housing aid, food, counseling, and utilities, Dilger noted.
She recently sent the staff a note that said in part:
“I send this note of thanks for all the love, prayer and support you gave me and my family during the rough season we have been in. I am working again in my profession and my kids are growing and thriving even as we work through our emotions and thoughts about the major changes. I will be praying for you all and the wonderful work that Mercy’s Gate is doing. And as I can lend myself to you once things settle, and as God gives time, I look forward to partnering with you to help others.”
Empty Stocking Fund benefits 20 health and human service agencies in the Pikes Peak region who serve over 350,000 neighbors in need from birth to end of life. One donation. 20 agencies. A whole community served.
Give now at EmptyStockingFundCO.org, or call 719-476-1673 to make a credit card or stock donation. Make checks payable to Empty Stocking Fund and mail to P.O. Box 910942, Denver, CO 80291-0942.