CityServe returns for spring volunteer weekend
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Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
Expect volunteers to fan out across Colorado Springs — along trails, in church parking lots and inside homes — for this weekend's springtime CityServe event.
Why it matters: The twice-yearly effort, now in its 10th year, is built on a simple idea: get residents out of their routines to show up for their neighbors in need.
How it works: Nonprofits and church groups organize dozens of volunteer opportunities citywide, from trash pickup along Monument Creek to assembling care baskets for people experiencing a mental health crisis. Others take on odd jobs, such as repairs at the home of a woman who has fostered children for more than 30 years.
What they're saying: CityServe is organized by the group COS I Love You, which aims for "sustainable volunteerism," group spokesperson Charaia Rush told Axios.
- "The goal is to not have people serve just one day, but to go back within 90 days to serve again, and really connect with these nonprofits," Rush said.
- "It doesn't require a ton of commitment. It doesn't require a ton of preparation. People can just show up and serve," Stu Davis, the group's executive director, told KOAA in 2023.
Caveat: Many volunteer spots are already filled, especially for Friday.
By the numbers: CityServe's reach spans much of Colorado Springs, and last year's turnout proves it, with:
- 76 nonprofits participating.
- 3,487 volunteers involved.
- 58 schools helped.
- 99 estimated lives saved through blood drives.
Between the lines: There's business community buy-in, too.
- The Colorado Springs Chamber encourages businesses to give workers Friday off to go volunteer.
- Meanwhile, many area businesses offer food and drink discounts this weekend for CityServe volunteers.
Zoom out: COS I Love You does more than organize CityServe weekends.
- Its year-round School Connect program helps local nonprofits and individuals build relationships with area schools to meet classroom needs — 32 schools to date, according to Rush.
- The organization also says it raised $100,000 last year from local businesses and churches to address winter shelter needs for people experiencing homelessness.
Flashback: Mayor Yemi Mobolade co-founded COS I Love You with Davis more than a decade ago, organizing local churches to engage with the community.
- Mobolade is not currently involved in the organization but still advocates for volunteerism through the city's "Keep it Clean COS" campaign.
What's next: Rush said the CityServe day in October will mark the 11th anniversary of the event.
- Nonprofits and schools can submit projects in September.