The Resource Exchange (TRE) is a proud partner of the Empty Stocking Fund. The Resource Exchange is a local agency advocating for independence and inclusion for people who have a variety of disabilities, delays, mental illness, or other long-term care needs. TRE serves El Paso, Teller, Park and Pueblo counties.

Special-education teacher Steve Feinland is one whose family is served by TRE. Like many of the families working with The Resource Exchange, Steve has children who need long term care and support.

Steven was glad to tell us how TRE helps him with his family. Steve, a single dad, juggles schedules, medical care, and home duties for six kids. The children’s ages range from 6 to 25.

Four of those children are disabled. Three have Down syndrome and one child has cerebral palsy. Sometimes, Steven needs a break. Even a few hours of rest help him to keep everything going.

When asked, he speaks glowingly of the respite services coordinated for his family by TRE. Feinland explains, “Respite is when caregivers watch my kids to free me up to do other things.” He continues naming the programs, “Our Time has a program for siblings so some of my children go to that. Gathering Time is where my oldest can go. It helps a lot!”

The agency has service coordinators who help people like Steve and his family. According to Feinland, “The coordinators are very helpful, very knowledgeable and have been very resourceful.”

Steve has been with TRE for about 2½ years. He told us of being glad to be qualified for services through the disability waivers from the state but told us it “… took a little while to get through the process.” Feinland also told us that “The Resource Exchange was much more responsive to the family than the Social Security office.” Getting approved for disability through Social Security can take years.

CEO Colleen Batchelor told us how the staff of TRE does their work. “People with disabilities have a lot to offer both their family and the community. It is our role to make sure that services match the person. So, we have to think of the whole person and how they wish to live within their life, their family, and their community. We work to enhance the life of the entire person.”

According to CEO Batchelor, getting approved with TRE takes time. There’s a good reason for this. TRE expanded in 2024 from helping around 9,000 to supporting about 13,000. But the agency does its best to move quickly on every new application for services.

Batchelor talks about this year’s huge growth in answer to the community need across the state saying, “The rapid growth of our agency has been quite challenging. But we are up to it. We are seeing the growth as an opportunity to improve processes and service norms for our field.”

This need is changing much about the agency. Currently, The Resource Exchange employs or contracts more than 400 employees and service providers. But because of the growing need, eventually the agency will need to employ, or contract close to 600 employees and providers.

The CEO told us, “We are moving quickly to learn more about the communities and the desires of those who live there. Our services must match the entire person as we coordinate care, promote choices, and collaborate with community partners. We want to support the strength of every person while allowing every community to invest its strength in those whom we serve.”