Debbie Kelley

2 weeks ago | gazette.com | Debbie Kelley

A desire to respond to a top challenge facing low-income families in Colorado Springs caught the eye of state officials deciding how sales tax money will be spent to create more affordable housing projects across Colorado.

3 weeks ago | gazette.com | Debbie Kelley

Getting a job if you have a criminal record — for people who have been incarcerated, are on parole or probation, or recently released from judicial oversight — can be like trying to remount a skittish, bucking horse. Sometimes you make it through the application process with an offer for a position, say clients at the Center for Employment Opportunities. But when a background check shows a felony conviction, it’s usually back to the stirrups to start over.

3 weeks ago | coloradopolitics.com | Debbie Kelley

Getting a job if you have a criminal record — for people who have been incarcerated, are on parole or probation, or recently released from judicial oversight — can be like trying to remount a skittish, bucking horse. Sometimes you make it through the application process with an offer for a position, say clients at the Center for Employment Opportunities. But when a background check shows a felony conviction, it’s usually back to the stirrups to start over.

3 weeks ago | gazette.com | Debbie Kelley

Under a new leader, the nearly 50-year-old Council of Neighborhood Organizations, known as CONO, has a new name that the better reflects its mission of “helping neighbors build relationships and create vibrant communities across Colorado Springs,” according to the organization. CONO is now called Hey Neighbor.

3 weeks ago | gazette.com | Debbie Kelley

Lori Jarvis-Steinwert's last laps at her organization’s fifth annual charity walk on Saturday won’t be the end of her pursuit of mental well-being for all. Even as she steps down at the end of this month from leading the Colorado Springs office of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, she’ll continue to champion the quest for healing for people with mental distress and the families and friends who support them.