Could day labor program for homeless work in Colorado Springs?

The City of Denver is expanding a program that employs homeless people as day laborers.

In its pilot year, the program allowed more than 280 people to earn a paycheck and over 100 of them found permanent jobs.

Russell Zucconi has been experiencing homelessness for a year and a half and currently lives in Colorado Springs. Zucconi said he’d be interested in the program as he said it’s difficult for people who are homeless to find work.

“You know being homeless, you carry most of your things around all the time. So we frequently loose identification, birth certificates, and social security cards- the things you need to get back to work,” Zucconi said.

Jossybell Depina has been experiencing homelessness for six months and said she’d consider the opportunity, but knows others who wouldn’t.

“Some of them wouldn’t because they’re actually happy with their lifestyle,” Depina said.

In response to the program, the City of Colorado Springs said they’re not currently looking into any program like it.

“We’re a very tax light city, we just don’t have the funds for that,” Trig Bundgaard with the Coalition for Compassion in Action said.

Bundgaard believes the funds don’t necessarily have to come from the city but said the program would work well in Colorado Springs.

“There’s a huge stigma for people trying to lift themselves up outside,” Bundgaard said.

However, there is one private program in the Springs called “Uplift” which allows homeless people the opportunity to do day labor.