'We want them to be safe': Here's how Crazy Faith uses its shelter to aid Pueblo's unhoused

Just after 6 p.m. on Feb. 1, people experiencing homelessness lined up one by one outside of Crazy Faith Street Ministry Shelter and slipped into the building as the weather got more and more biting with each passing hour.

They walked in, filled out a sign-in sheet and eagerly awaited a hot meal, blankets and a chance to escape the cold.

Each entrant found a spot to settle in with their belongings before receiving a salad and plate of pasta. They scarfed down their meals — some in just minutes — and once they finished, started to read a book, journaled, watched TV on their phones or went to sleep, just as the clock hit 7 p.m.

For many, if not all, it was a chance to unwind, relax and, for a moment, not worry when their next meal might come.

“They always feed us. Always,” said one unhoused person who was there to spend the night and expressed admiration for the Crazy Faith staff.

The shelter has been exceedingly busy all winter, opening on nights when temperatures slip below 20 degrees Fahrenheit so people experiencing homelessness can stay safe and avoid having to combat those dangerous elements.

Its operators, Tammy and Lonny Kainz, originally received funding to open the shelter for up to 20 nights, but they blew past that mark in January and reached around 34 nights on Feb. 1. The shelter could easily surpass 40 nights before the month is over, though additional funding will help cover expenses for those nights.

Last year, the couple paid for everything using their own money.

"We're keeping people safe from freezing," Lonny said. "We know quite a few people that have lost all their toes or fingers to frostbite, and we don't want that to happen. We want them to be safe."

Depending on the weather and the length of emergency weather declaration made by Mayor Nick Gradisar, the Kainzes can find themselves operating the shelter for a week straight, and sometimes longer.

“It’s very wearing on us. It’s a lot,” said Lonny, who praised the work of his volunteers and Wallshield Security staff.

Crazy Faith has the capacity to shelter 50 people per night, but it exceeded that number and reached 55 on multiple nights in late January, making it clear to staff that they could use a bigger space, Lonny said.

Lonny and other staff members said they don’t turn people away, and the Kainzes said they’re exploring the idea of purchasing a larger space.

“I’m pretty sure if we had a bigger building, we could take the people who go to the (Pueblo Transit Center) when it opens,” said Chuck Stewart, a 57-year-old volunteer and close friend of the Kainzes. The Transit Center sheltered 32 people one night when it opened in December amid a cold front that swept over Pueblo.

Stewart, who experienced a five-year stretch of homelessness years ago, often remains at the shelter overnight alongside Lonny. They both sleep in an area between the men’s and women’s sides, and remain vigilant to keep the building safe or report disruptive guests to the Pueblo Police Department.

Stewart spent some of his time that Wednesday evening walking around the building and visiting with people he has become close with, including Lorraine Potter, a 30-year-old mother who has been homeless alongside her boyfriend for about three years. They live in a tent, but stay at Crazy Faith when it's open.

Potter has been sober for six months after struggling with alcohol addiction for years. In July, she started attending IntelliTec College in Pueblo and wants to become a medical assistant. She expects to graduate in December and hopes to begin an internship soon after before pursuing a full-time position in the medical field.

“I wouldn’t have gotten sober if it wasn’t for Crazy Faith helping me,” Potter said. “That’s how I got into being a Christian and getting my mind right and looking at things a different way.”

At least a few other people experiencing homelessness have taken steps to get help through Crazy Faith over the past few months. One person is set to graduate from substance abuse treatment in Wyoming after spending 15 years living on the streets, and another, through the Kainzes' help, moved into assisted living after experiencing homelessness for four years.

Lonny estimates he and Tammy have helped nearly 400 people escape homelessness since 2017.

“My mom was never around — my dad raised me, so I wanted to make sure my kids knew I would never give up on them,” Potter said of her decision to get sober. She visits her kids at her grandmother’s home, is in classes at IntelliTech four days a week and spends her weekends completing homework.

“Crazy Faith has really helped me,” she said. “Even when I’m not at church (at Crazy Faith), I can call (the staff) and Chuck and talk to him, which helps me stay on a steady path.”

Potter was one of several people to chat with others as the clock hit 8 p.m. that Wednesday, not too far from a room filled with extra blankets, jackets and tables. The room next to that wasn’t as crowded, however, because it was the first of the month, and some unhoused people who have jobs likely took the opportunity to visit a hotel to take a shower and get a good night’s sleep, Stewart said.

But Javier Reveles was back for his second night at Crazy Faith after enjoying the atmosphere and friendliness of the staff after night one. He was reading a passage in the Bible, mostly because he felt he could connect with some of its message.

“I just can’t give up,” said Reveles, who's been experiencing homelessness for two years. “As they say, the glass is half full and the best is yet to come.”

Across from Reveles sat around 15 to 20 other people, each spaced out separately and sleeping or lying on a blanket provided to them by Crazy Faith staff. Some were still watching TV on their phones while others continued to journal or read, seemingly embracing their chance to sleep somewhere warm, rather than in a tent that might have a propane tank to combat the cold.

It’s also a space that’s free of judgment and usually void of confrontations, Stewart said, though Pueblo police sometimes assist with de-escalation efforts if the latter occurs.

“People (in public) will just look at you like you’re the dirt underneath their feet,” Potter said. “Everyone talks down on homeless people, but not all homeless people are bad.”

At 8:30 p.m., people visiting Crazy Faith begin to wind down and settle in for a night’s rest. Several hours later, around 5:30 a.m., Stewart and Lonny wake up so they can serve breakfast and coffee to overnight visitors at 6 and 6:30 a.m. Everyone is required to be out of the building before 7 a.m. but are welcome to come back later that evening if the shelter is open.

“You have to be loving, nice and kind to (people experiencing homelessness),” Lonny said. “That’s all they need. Show that you care.”

Chieftain reporter Josue Perez can be reached at JHPerez@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @josuepwrites.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Here's how Crazy Faith Street Ministry is helping Pueblo's unhoused