The window display on the ground floor of The Gazette building, facing Tejon Street, decorated with Christmas trees, ornaments, garland and other winter adornments, is an early harbinger of the coming holiday season.

But it also signals the upcoming Empty Stocking Fund campaign.

“What we always want to do with this campaign is showcase the 20 nonprofit agencies that benefit from the Empty Stocking Fund, and all the fantastic work they are doing,” said Danielle Ramacciotti, executive director of the Gazette Charities Foundation.

“We have this fantastic asset here at the Gazette building – these window wells – and we think it’s the perfect way to represent the work and the uniqueness of each nonprofit.”

Nearly two dozen health and human service agencies are represented in the window exhibit, including: Care and Share Food Bank for Southern Colorado; Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center; Pikes Peak Hospice and Palliative Care; Silver Key Senior Services; TESSA; The Salvation Army of El Paso County; and YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region.

“We wanted (the display) to be beautiful, and seamless, and to really flow from one organization to the next,” Ramacciotti said.

With that in mind, Ramacciotti and Gazette Charities board member Kelly Spieker reached out to graphic designer Amber Borata. In addition to being an award-winning design professional, Borata is quite familiar with the building, having worked at The Gazette for three years.

The result was a display that grabs the attention to passersby during daylight hours, and transforms into something even more visually arresting at night, Ramacciotti said.

“Last night I saw it in the dark for the first time, and I thought is was magical,” she said. “I felt like I was in New York City at a Macy’s display. Amber pulled it off beautifully.”

Over the past 41 years, the Empty Stocking Fund has raised more than $28 million. This year, the team hopes to raise enough funds to help meet the growing demand for health and human services in the Pikes Peak region.

The 2025-2026 campaign will be held Thanksgiving Day through Jan. 24, 2026.