(COLORADO SPRINGS) — A new nonprofit organization, the Ascend Foundation, has opened in Colorado Springs, offering support to homeless individuals, refugees, and those formerly incarcerated.
Founded by Geordan Morris and Marcus Hanson, the Ascend Foundation aims to help people recover and improve their quality of life. The organization provides food, affordable housing, recovery support, employment opportunities, and life-skills coaching.
“We’re here to help people recover,” said Morris, Founder of the Ascend Foundation.
“Recovery just means going from an unpleasant state to a more pleasant state,” Morris explained.
Hanson emphasized the importance of understanding the needs of those they serve: “We know who needs what and what everyone else is needing,” he said.
The Ascend Foundation celebrated its opening by serving more than 250 hot dogs to people in need on Saturday morning.
Located off Tejon and Las Vegas Street, the nonprofit is distinctive because it is run by individuals who have experienced life behind bars themselves.
Morris shared his personal journey, stating, “It took my incarceration to be the thing that woke me up.”
Morris and Hanson are committed to providing opportunities for others, especially those with a felony record, as they understand the challenges of finding employment and support.
The foundation plans to host regular food distributions and connect individuals with job opportunities and recovery support.
Morris believes in the power of personal change, saying, “I’m 100% a believer that everything that’s happened in my life has happened for a reason.”
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