Press Releases

Colorado Springs, CO (July 8, 2024)—Two years ago, Tonya asked her then-6-year-old daughter what she wanted for Christmas: toys or a home for their family. Her daughter chose a home – and in 2025, her Christmas wish will come true!

Join Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity this Saturday, July 13, at 9 a.m. at The Ridge at Sand Creek, 5303 Beauport Dr., Colorado Springs 80915 as we hold a ground blessing to mark the start of construction on Tonya’s new home. Tonya, her four children, and her grandson will live in a five-bedroom home – the first that Pikes Peak Habitat has built in this neighborhood.

“I’ve never had a house where I could even put pictures up on the walls,” says Tonya, who found herself staying in a shelter a few years ago. Since then, she has completed career training, landed a job she loves, moved her family into an apartment—and is now embarking on her homeownership journey. “This’ll be the first time I was able to put pictures up, lay down roots, stop and smell the roses—grow roses!”

Immediately after the ground blessing, at 9:30 a.m., we’ll hold a home dedication for Janice, who manages the cafeteria at a local high school. She and her daughter Matty have been living in a 50-year-old trailer that’s rapidly been deteriorating around them. “It’s basically built out of paper clips and thumbtacks and cardboard!” Janice says. So this mother and daughter, both artists, are excited to move into their new two-bedroom, one-bathroom Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity home!

At 10:30 a.m., we’ll hold the home dedication for their future next-door neighbors: Alex and Ida, their teenage daughter Sofia, and Ida’s aunt Lucia, who lives with the family. Their three-bedroom, one-bathroom home is Pikes Peak Habitat’s Maverik – Adventure’s First Stop Build (formerly the Kum & Go Sponsored Build).

The family lived in Puerto Rico when Hurricane Maria struck in 2017, and “We lost everything,” Ida says. They relocated to El Paso County, where Ida’s brother had been stationed as a military service member. Alex works full-time in construction, but the high cost of rent means they live in an unsafe area where they’ve experienced several thefts.

When they move into their new home, Sofia can finally have the puppy she’s wanted since she was six years old. And, she says, “It’s somewhere that we can be safe, and we have a good backyard, and it’s something better than we had before.”

“Affordable housing is one of the most urgent and serious needs facing our neighbors and Maverik is proud to support Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity and the many families they assist in El Paso County,” said Joey Hobson, Chief Marketing Officer of Maverik. “Following Maverik’s acquisition of Kum & Go, this Build aligns with our exciting rebrand of K&G stores throughout Colorado – and underscores Maverik’s dedication to enhancing K&G’s charitable impact in our local communities by helping further address education, local hunger, and affordable housing.”

Members of the media and the public are welcome to attend all three events. After the dedications, participants will have the chance to tour the homes.