Rising gas prices hit Colorado Springs nonprofit

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Gas prices are climbing across the country, and in Colorado Springs, one nonprofit says it's starting to feel the strain.

At Silver Key Senior Services, rising fuel costs are creating new challenges for the nonprofit’s daily operations. The organization delivers meals and provides transportation for thousands of seniors across Colorado Springs, services that many rely on for both nutrition and connection.

“We started seeing the rise this past month,” said Seth Chapin, director of transportation at Silver Key. “Just to keep fuel in the vehicles could be a challenge. Having that added cost makes it even more difficult to continue the services we provide.”

Silver Key operates about 50 vehicles to deliver meals and transport seniors throughout the community. With more than 5,000 people relying solely on transportation services, even small increases in gas prices can quickly add up.

Inside the organization’s kitchen, staff and volunteers prepare hundreds of meals each day. Those meals are packed onto carts and loaded into vehicles before being delivered across the city, one stop at a time.

But Chapin says the impact goes beyond logistics.

“When you look at the micro level, giving someone the ability to go to bingo or get a meal and socialize really adds value to their life,” he said. “One of the biggest factors we’ve found with mental health is being able to socialize with others.”

Unlike businesses, nonprofits like Silver Key can’t simply raise prices to offset rising costs.

“We’re not selling a product—we’re helping the community,” Chapin said. “So we can’t just raise the price of something.”

Instead, the organization relies on a mix of state and federal funding, along with volunteers, to keep services running. Chapin says they’re constantly adjusting to make ends meet, but there are limits.

“We’re really good at pivoting and moving things around,” he said. “But that only goes so far.”

Meanwhile, drivers across Colorado Springs say they’re also feeling the strain at the pump, with many adjusting their budgets as fuel prices continue to rise.

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